LAFAYETTE, La. – A strong performance in hitting for the opposition and lack thereof for ULM volleyball gave way to a 3-0 (25-19, 25-12, 25-11) loss to the Ragin' Cajuns Thursday evening.
 
The Cajuns (13-10, 5-8 Sun Belt) combined for a hitting percentage of .374 while the Warhawks (10-17, 1-12 Sun Belt) only managed a .102 mark.
 
Both teams started even in the first set with a 4-4 score before the Cajuns scored four straight points to take the lead early. ULM kept pace and forced the deficit to three before a 4-1 run by the home team stretched the gap to five. With two errors by the Ragin' Cajuns and a kill from Morgan Howard and Kennedy Plummer, the Warhawks made it a four-point contest again.
 
The Cajuns answered right back, scoring five of the next seven points to make it a 23-15 lead late. Four unanswered by ULM made things interesting, but kills from Cailin Demps and Chelsea Gilmore ended the set, making it 1-0 Cajuns.
 
The Ragin' Cajuns set the tone early in set two, storming out to a 12-6 lead. With the Warhawks' next point, the gap between the two teams was five, marking the closest ULM got as the Cajuns dominated the rest of the way. When all was said and done, the Warhawks stared at a 2-0 match deficit after a 13-point set loss.
 
ULM once again fell behind early in the third, going down 6-1 to start. Helped by errors from the Cajuns, the Warhawks found themselves within striking distance down by three, but a 7-1 run by the home team quickly erased that chance. ULM never recovered as it suffered another conference loss.
 
Amelia Piekut led the way offensively for the Warhawks, producing 10 kills and a service ace. Howard collected 18 assists, and Briana Raney totaled ten digs on the night.
 
The Warhawks and Ragin' Cajuns face off again in game two of the weekend series tomorrow at noon.