JONESBORO, Ark. – After the ULM volleyball team claimed a set in the first match of the day, Arkansas State made quick work of the Warhawks in the nightcap to sweep the doubleheader and series, 3-1 (25-11, 22-25, 25-18, 26-24) and 3-0 (25-11, 25-12, 25-8) at First National Bank Arena.
In the opening match of the day, ULM (1-10 overall, 0-8 Sun Belt Conference) struggled in the first set. Arkansas State (4-1, 4-1) scored eight of the first nine points to build a quick lead. The Warhawks were never closer than six points over the remainder of the set as the Red Wolves rolled to the 25-11 win.
The second set was vastly different than the first. A-State built a quick 6-2 lead, but ULM responded with four straight points, including kills by senior Ina Gosen and sophomores Shaska Davis and Kathryn Raschilla, to tie the set at 6. The Red Wolves again built a four-point lead at 15-11 before the Warhawks made another move. ULM used a 4-0 scoring run to grab its first lead at 17-16 on a kill by junior Cali Assaley. A-State reclaimed the lead with a 6-2 push to go ahead 22-19. ULM then took control, closing the set with six straight points, including a pair of service aces by freshman Chloe Jordan and a kill by Gosen, to take the set, 25-22.
The tide turned back to Arkansas State in the third set. ULM took an early 2-1 lead, but the Red Wolves jumped back in front with a 3-0 run and never looked back. A-State slowly built the lead to as much as three before the Warhawks closed within a point at 12-11 on a kill by Davis. ULM trailed 15-13 off a kill by Assaley when the Red Wolves put the set away, going on a 5-0 run to push the lead to seven at 20-13. They built the advantage to as much as nine before winning the set, 25-18.
The final set of the opening match was tight throughout. ULM led by as much as four early, once at 12-8 on a kill by Davis, and again at 14-10 on another kill by Davis. The Warhawks maintained the lead until late in the set. ULM pulled ahead 23-20 on an A-State ball handling error. Then, the Red Wolves rattled off three straight points to tie the match at 23. A kill by Assaley gave ULM a shot at set point, but A-State used another 3-0 spurt to claim the set, 26-24, and the match, 3-1.
Davis had a career-best match with 17 kills while hitting .424. Raschilla and Assaley also had 10 kills each. Junior McKinley Thiede added 28 assists and sophomore Madeline Hogan chipped in 16 digs.
In the second match, it was all A-State.
In the first set, A-State scored 10 of the first 13 points to surge out to a 10-3 lead. ULM pulled as close as five points, at 12-7 on a kill by Thiede, before A-State pulled away to lead by as much as the final margin of 14, 25-11.
The second set saw the Red Wolves build a quick 10-4 lead. ULM could get no closer than five points the rest of the way, trailing by as much as 14 before A-State claimed the set, 25-12.
In the final set, the Red Wolves scored the first four points and never let the Warhawks have a chance to climb back in the set, cruising to a 25-8 win to claim the match, 3-0.
Davis led ULM with five kills. Thiede chipped in 11 assists. Hogan tallied 10 digs.
The Warhawks are off until 6 p.m. Friday when they host Central Arkansas at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
