BEAUMONT, Texas – The ULM volleyball team earned its second win of the season against Lamar, picking up a 3-2 victory (22-25, 26-24, 25-17, 25-21, 15-11) Saturday afternoon, Aug. 28, to wrap up the Katrinka Crawford Invitational at McDonald Gym.
 
"Today was a good day for this team," ULM head coach Charlie Olson said. "It took the entire team to get it done."
 
Sophomore Emma McWhorter halted the initial 3-0 run by Lamar (1-2) with a kill. The Warhawks (2-1) took their first lead of the first set at 5-4 due to a Lamar attacking error. Lamar regained the lead at 10-9. From there, the two teams swapped leads and tied each other nine times. McWhorter kept her team in the set with four straight aces, but Lamar regained the lead at 20-19 and closed out the set 25-22.
 
The Warhawks got off to a slow start in the second set as Lamar jumped on top, 10-3. A kill by senior Cali Assaley sparked the comeback but Lamar was able to extend their lead to 18-11. The second stint of their comeback came when ULM trailed 24-19 and Lamar was on the verge of closing the set out. Back to back errors by Lamar set up McWhorter to get another ace. Freshman Avery Cole came up with the final two kills as ULM scored seven straight points to win the set 26-24.
 
"All props to Lamar," Olson said. "They are one of the best floor defensive teams we will face all year. They dug everything."
 
The Warhawks kept the momentum going in the third set. ULM led for much of the set until Lamar jumped in front at 13-12. A Lamar error tied the game up and a kill by Assaley put the Warhawks back on top. ULM rode the momentum to win the third set, 25-17.
 
The Warhawks and Cardinals matched each other for much of the fourth set. There were 10 ties and five lead changes. Lamar broke away late taking the lead at 19-18. An attacking error gave Lamar the set 25-21.
 
ULM's attacks set the tone in the fifth set, racing out to a 10-3 lead. Assaley had two kills late in the matchup before Cole delivered the series-ending kill at 15-11.
 
The 12 service aces by the Warhawks matches the program's five-set single-match record in the 25-point rally scoring era (2008-present). McWhorter's seven service aces are the most by a Warhawk in a five-set match in the 25-point era.
 
Assaley had a career-high 19 kills to lead the Warhawks while Cole added 15. Junior Mariana Volponi e Giordan led her team with 25 assists.
 
Assaley and Cole were named to the All-Tournament Team.
 
"We will celebrate this win and keep finding ways to get one percent better in our next matchup," Olson said.
 
The Warhawks travel to Natchitoches to face Northwestern State at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.