CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The ULM volleyball met its match today at Southeast Missouri's Redhawk Invitational on Friday (Aug. 31). The Warhawks dropped both games on day one of the two-day tournament, first to host-team Southeast Missouri 3-0, and then to in-state rival Northwestern State 3-2.
 
The Warhawks struggled the most on the offensive side of the game, unable to piece together attacks and lay down a much needed kill on multiple occasions.
 
"We didn't respond well to what was thrown at us today," said head volleyball coach Russ Friedland. "SEMO came out firing and we let them take control of the match. We knew what he needed to improve on in order to bounce back against Northwestern State."
 
Friedland and his Warhawks definitely saw an improvement in performance from headed into match two, forcing a fifth set and increase the attack numbers and attack efficiency.
 
ULM's defense out-blocked the Redhawks, with 13 blocks and seven team blocks to SEMO's eight blocks and four team blocks.
 
Southeast Missouri put down double the number of kills ULM had, and the Warhawks were unable to stop the attacks as the Redhawks engaged 103 total attacks, 55 of which came at the hands of Laney Mallow and Madara Bajare alone.
 
SEMO holds on to an undefeated record, earning its fifth win of the year.
 
The second match of the day against Northwestern State would come quickly, and both teams had a good reasons to bring their best games. NSU, was coming off a win earlier that morning, against undefeated Radford while ULM was hungry to avenge its loss to SEMO.
 
ULM came out with an aggressive first-set win (25-17) over the Lady Demons, but things looked grim in set two and three when NSU returned the heat with back-to-back set wins (25-12, 25-14).
 
In set four, the Warhawks jumped out to a quick 4-1 lead after a four-point scoring rally was sparked by a kill by freshman Karlee Wilkerson. The Lady Demons responded with a four-point run of their own and the score was tied at 7-7.
 
A lead-shifting kill by Lauren Appleman would help the Warhawks take a 9-8 lead over Northwestern State and ULM would hold onto that lead for the remainder of the set, as they forced a fifth set with a 25-19 fourth-set win.
 
"What a battle," Friedland said. "When we are firing on all cylinders, this team is so fun to watch. We just didn't string enough of those moments together tonight at the right times."
 
NSU took an early lead in the final set and ULM was unable to regain control, falling 15-8 in the fifth.
 
Senior Catherine Griffith led the Warhawks with 12 kills, while Tara Jenkins and McKinley Thiede split the setting duties with 18 and 14 assists respectively.
 
"Cat was amazing today," said Friedland. "She was unstoppable at the net and had some big energy plays for us. Karlee had a great performance as well and it was reassuring to see Tara and McKinley playing well, which gives us the ability to spread our offense out and create more options."
 
The Warhawks continue competition at the Redhawk Invitational tomorrow (Sept. 1) when they face Radford in the final match of the weekend at 4 p.m.