LAFAYETTE, La. – The Ragin' Cajuns cruised to a first set win and followed it by rallying from deficits in the second and third sets to sweep the ULM volleyball team, 3-0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-20), Saturday at Earl K. Long Gym to sweep the weekend and season series.
"Sometimes, I feel like a broken record, but each match this team continues to improve," ULM head volleyball coach Charlie Olson said. "We played really well in the second two sets. It was our best volleyball of the season. We had lots of fire, hustle and excitement."
The first set was all Cajuns. The Ragin' Cajuns scored four of the first five points and 10 of the first 12 points for a 10-2 lead. The Warhawks would not get closer than seven points over the remainder of the set, as the Cajuns rolled to the early 1-0 lead, 25-13.
ULM had opportunities to pick up a set in the second and third sets. In the second set, the Warhawks got off to the fast start, leading 10-6 on a kill by senior Ina Gosen. The Cajuns answered with eight of the next 10 points to surge in front, 14-12. The Warhawks pulled back within a point on an attack error, but the Cajuns used a 5-1 spurt to expand the lead to 19-14. ULM trailed 22-16 before the Warhawks made one last run at the Cajuns in the set. ULM used a 5-1 run to pull within two at 23-21, using kills by Gosen and senior Haley Coulter to get back in the set. However, the Cajuns picked up back-to-back points to take the set, 25-21, and a 2-0 lead in the match.
The two sides battled back-and-forth in the third set, with ULM using a 3-0 spurt to take a 17-14 lead midway through the set. Sophomore Kathryn Raschilla's kill put the Warhawks up 18-16. The Cajuns responded with a 5-0 run and scored nine of the next 11 points to take the set, 25-20, and the match, 3-0.
"Losing is hard, especially as many times as we have this year," Olson said. "We will continue to push, fight and keep our head down. We're excited to return to Fant-Ewing for our final homestand this weekend against Little Rock."
Gosen led the Warhawks with 10 kills, while freshman Karson Davis had a season-high 26 assists. Gosen and sophomore Madeline Hogan picked up 16 digs each.
"We had a few players step up huge this weekend and fill in gaps, including Ina Gosen, Karson Davis, (freshman) Chloe Jordan and (sophomore) Hailey Hughes," Olson said.
The Warhawks host Little Rock to wrap up the regular season with matches at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
