MONROE, La. – The ULM volleyball team claimed early leads in the first two sets, but the Ragin' Cajuns rallied each time and controlled the third set on their way to a 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-19) win over the Warhawks Saturday at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
"This is the second weekend of conference play after having played only one full weekend of non-conference," said ULM head volleyball coach Charlie Olson. "We would still be in non-conference play right now on any normal year. I think we're still trying to figure some things out. I think we're close."
The Warhawks (1-7 overall, 0-5 Sun Belt Conference) controlled the first half of the first set. Trailing 7-5, the Warhawks went on a 4-0 run, featuring a block by senior Alix Christie, a service ace by sophomore Madeline Hogan and a kill by freshman Emma McWhorter to seize a 9-7 lead. After a service error, the run continued with back-to-back kills by senior Haley Coulter and a kill by senior Catherine Griffith for the 12-8 ULM lead. The Warhawks maintained the lead to 15-11 off a kill by Ina Gosen.
Then, the Cajuns (11-0, 5-0) made their move. The Cajuns scored 12 of the next 13 points to surge in front, 23-16. The Warhawks tried to make it interesting down the stretch, scoring three straight points with kills by Gosen and Coulter. Ultimately, the Cajuns hung on to win the set, 25-20.
ULM had another early advantage in the second set. The Warhawks used three straight points off Cajun errors to claim a 7-4 lead. The Warhawks pushed the lead to four at 9-5 following a service error and a kill by Gosen.
Again, the Cajuns rallied. The Cajuns scored four of the next five points to go in front, 13-12. After the two sides traded points to tie the match at 14, the Cajuns rattled off three more points to build out a 17-14 lead.
The Warhawks fought back once again. A service error followed by a kill and a block by Coulter brought ULM within one at 18-17. The Cajuns responded with four straight points to go up 22-17. ULM had one final push, scoring four of the next five points with kills from McWhorter, junior Cali Assaley and Gosen to close within two at 23-21. However, consecutive Warhawk attack errors ended the set in favor of the Cajuns, 25-21.
The final set was all Cajuns. ULM trailed 4-3 off a kill by Assaley when the Cajuns took control. The Cajuns scored nine straight points to roll to a 12-3 advantage. The Warhawks made a late push, but could get no closer than five points over the remainder of the set, as the Cajuns took the set, 25-19, and the match, 3-0.
"We had a nice little push there at the end that we didn't have last night," Olson said. "I was proud of them for composing themselves. When you're down 10-plus points, and to walk out of here with your head held high, that's what we want to do. Obviously, we would have loved to have won defending our home floor, but we're still at a great place right now."
Gosen paced the Warhawks with eight kills. Sophomore Madeline Hogan added 21 digs. Junior McKinley Thiede picked up 17 assists.
The Warhawks are back on the floor at 5 p.m. Thursday to open at three-match series at Arkansas State in Jonesboro.
"With this Saturday match pushed up to Thursday, it gives us less turnaround time, but there's also a shorter list of things we need to work on," Olson said.
