HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Southern Miss volleyball team shrugged off a third-set ULM set point Friday night and won, 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 27-25).
The Warhawks (4-16 overall, 0-6 conference) raced to a 9-3 lead in set one. But the Golden Eagles (7-10, 2-4) used a 7-2 scoring run to cut the lead to one, 11-10. Then, with ULM leading, 15-13, USM scored ten out of the next 12 points to take command. A ULM service error and a Golden Eagle kill secured the set.
Set two featured 15 ties and seven lead changes. Neither team led by more than two until Southern Miss, leading 20-19, scored three straight points to take a four-point lead. The Warhawks cut the deficit to three, 23-20, but could not get any closer.
The third set started much like the second set. Then, with USM leading 11-10, the Golden Eagles scored seven out of the next eight points to take a seven-point lead, 18-11. The Warhawks weren't done yet, using two 5-1 scoring runs to trail by one, 21-20. A kill by junior middle blocker
Madeline Villarreal gave ULM a set point at 24-23, but the Golden Eagles scored two points to earn their own set point at 25-24. A kill by junior middle blocker
Logan Jeffus, assisted by
Bailey Roberson, drew the Warhawks even. But two straight kills by USM completed the weekend sweep.
Jeffus, with 12, was the only Warhawk with double-digit kills. Roberson and
Morgan Howard led the team in assists with 15 and 13 respectively.
Cameron Rogers had a team-leading 12 digs.
ULM continues its road trip as it travels to Boone, North Carolina, to take on Appalachian State on Thursday at 5 p.m. and Friday at noon.
