LAKE CHARLES, La. – The ULM volleyball team fell to McNeese for the second time in five days in a 3-0 loss (25-13, 25-21, 25-19) Tuesday night at the McNeese Rec Complex.

"It was a sluggish start for us in the first set, yet we really started to turn it on from the service line and find a flow halfway through the second," ULM head coach Charlie Olson said.

The Cowgirls offense was clicking from the start of the first set. McNeese quickly went up 14-5. ULM had no answers for the Cowgirls as they took the first set, 25-13.

After trailing 6-2 in the second set, ULM responded by scoring eight of the next nine points to take its first lead of the contest, 10-7. McNeese moved back in front, but the Warhawks put themselves ahead for the second time with a service ace by Emma McWhorter at 16-15. Senior Cali Assaley took the third and final lead for her team off a kill at 17-16. The Cowgirls scored seven unanswered points to regain control and win the set, 25-21.

In the third set, the Warhawks got off to a hot start. The defense was able to limit McNeese and ULM held an 8-3 lead. The Cowgirls rallied back and took the lead, 12-11. McNeese took advantage of several Warhawk errors to close out the set, 25-19, and win the contest, 3-0.

Assaley led ULM with 11 kills. This is her first double-digit kill game since facing Northwestern State on Aug. 31. Junior Mariana Volponi e Giordan scored three aces.

"Defensively, we played McNeese much better than this past weekend, which was a huge step in the right direction for us," Olson said.

ULM will travel to Springfield, Missouri for the Mary Jo Wynn Invitational Friday and Saturday. They will face Tulane, Missouri State, and Saint Louis.