ULM Warhawks

MOBILE, Ala. — The ULM volleyball team fell 0-3 (25-27, 22-25, 16-25) at South Alabama on Thursday evening to open the series. The Warhawks were led by second-year Aniya Hall, who had her fifth double-double of the season with 11 kills and digs. She added two assists and blocks to her night as well.  

Second-year libero Eden Pietrzak made 12 digs, a mark that saw her surpass 500 career digs. Setter Morgan Howard totaled 18 assists, eight digs and an ace.  

South Alabama outhit ULM .302% to .172, and made 10 more kills on the match.  

The first set was close throughout, with neither team able to pull away by more than two points. The opening frame saw 16 ties and seven lead changes. ULM led at 23-22, but saw the Jaguars earn set point at 24-23. A Tatum Clay kill tied the score at 24-all, but South Alabama went on to take it 27-25. The Warhawks only made four attack errors on the set, but had 14 kills to the Jaguars' 20.  

South Alabama kept the momentum in their favor in the beginning of the second set, taking a lead at 5-4 and never surrendering it. A swing by Abby Cunningham made the deficit two (10-8), but another Jaguar 3-0 put ULM on the defensive. South Alabama led by six at the break, but back-to-back aces from Tatum Clay cut it to four points. The Warhawks continued to chip away, getting the score to 23-21 after another kill by Cunningham and Clay's third ace of the set. Cunningham forced two set points with a kill, but South Alabama sealed the set, 25-22. 

The Jaguars kept their foot on the gas heading into the final frame, jumping out to an 8-2 lead. Eight unanswered points from South Alabama made the score 20-7. The Warhawks tried to keep the match alive with four consecutive points that consisted of a Jaguar error, a Bri Raney ace, and a kill and solo block by Aniya Hall. The deficit was too large to overcome, and South Alabama took the set 25-16, and the match 3-0.  

ULM will be back in action for match two of the series in Mobile at 6 p.m. tomorrow, October 30.