MONROE, La. – The ULM volleyball team closed the regular season with a 3-0 loss (25-18, 25-14, 25-23) to UT Arlington Sunday at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
This matchup was also Senior Day for the Warhawks. Seniors Hailey Hughes, Madeline Hogan and Cali Assaley were recognized for their time as a Warhawk.
UTA took control early in each set. Junior Hailey Hughes, who will forego her final year at ULM and was honored on Senior Day, broke the initial scoring drought for the Warhawks as they trailed 3-1. ULM cut the gap to one point three times in the set before UTA pulled away. Freshman Phoebe Stigen cut the deficit to two at 19-17, but UT Arlington went on a 6-1 run to take the set, 25-18.
The Mavericks stampeded into the second set with momentum on their side. The Mavericks opened the set with the first seven points. ULM got on the board due to a bad set by the Mavericks, but back-to-back kills by Hughes and senior Cali Asssaley marked the first Warhawk kills of the set at 9-3. Their three-score run was capped off with an ace by freshman Cameron Rogers. The Warhawks fought but were unable to come within five scores for the remainder of set two. UT Arlington took the second set, 25-14.
Unlike the previous two sets, ULM matched the Mavericks early in the third. The two teams reached a tie at 6 courtesy of a Stigen ace. The Mavericks would go up 15-10 but coming out of the media timeout the Warhawks caught fire. Freshman Logan Jeffus put the game within one score with a kill and Assaley recorded two aces that gave ULM its first lead of the day at 21-20. Stigen recorded another kill in the set to put ULM up 23-21. The Mavericks got the run they needed to close out the set. A four-score run sealed the set and match, 25-23.
Stigen led ULM with nine kills in the contest. Junior Mariana Volponi e Giordan finished with 20 assists. Rogers completed the game with 13 digs.
Assaley, Hughes and junior Madeline Hogan, who will also forego her final year at ULM, were honored after the match.
The Warhawks meet Georgia Southern at 12 p.m. Thursday to open the Sun Belt Conference Championship in Foley, Alabama.
