RUSTON, La. – ULM volleyball dropped matches to Houston Christian 3-0 and Louisiana Tech 3-1 in a Friday double header at the Bulldog Bash.
In the first match with the Huskies (4-5), HCU started fast in set one with a 7-3 advantage. The Warhawks (5-4) scored three unanswered points courtesy of two attack errors and a kill by
Molly Muller. Houston Christian immediately struck back with a 5-0 scoring run.
Trailing 14-8, ULM powered a 7-2 run to reach within a point of the lead, but the Huskies quickly put that hope away with a 5-1 stretch. They didn't look back and captured the initial set advantage 1-0.
After a 5-3 Warhawk start in set two, HCU produced another 5-1 run to take control early. ULM responded with its best run of the match, storming ahead with a 10-2 run which included kills from freshman
Aniya Hall,
Madison Derden, and
Kennedy Plummer. The Huskies slowly worked to get back in the deficit down, and with the score at 23-18, they put forth a 6-1 run late to tie and extend the set at 24-24. The two teams worked to a 29-29 stalemate before Houston Christian finally broke through with two errors from the Warhawks to steal the set.
The Warhawks finished the match with 28 attack errors, resulting in just a .092 hitting percentage.
ULM again started strong with a 7-4 score in the third set and also held a 9-7 score. HCU erased that with a 4-1 run before scoring another three unanswered after a ULM point. After a 5-1 run by the Warhawks, the Huskies recorded a 5-0 run with three errors. ULM eventually worked its way back in it late, but it was too much to overcome as HCU completed the sweep.
In match two vs. host Louisiana Tech, ULM started hot with an 8-4 advantage. The Bulldogs (5-4) exploded in response and took a 12-9 lead. The Warhawks worked their way back and brought the score to 15-14, but the home squad buried that chance with four straight points. They rode the momentum the rest of the way, resulting in another 1-0 match deficit for ULM.
Set two started with both teams going back and forth, resulting in a 9-9 tie. The Warhawks scored five of the next eight points to grab a 14-12 lead, but the Bulldogs responded with a 7-2 scoring run and took the lead for themselves. ULM never had the lead for the rest of the set and fell behind 2-0 once again.
With another 9-9 start in the third, Louisiana Tech put together a 5-0 run to take control. Trailing 17-11, the Warhawks powered through by scoring eight of the next nine points to take a one-point lead. The two teams fought to a 22-21 Warhawks advantage late, where the visitors finished things off with a kill by Hall and two Bulldog errors.
The competitive air of the first three sets did not follow through in the fourth, as it was all Louisiana Tech thanks to two separate 7-2 runs spread out in the set.
The Warhawks return home to Fant-Ewing Coliseum for the first time this season at noon with a match vs. Jackson State.
