BEAUMONT, TEXAS – The ULM volleyball team's (4-7) comeback attempt fell just short against Sam Houston (7-4) on Friday morning, dropping the match 1-3.
Aniya Hall and Abby Cunningham led the team with nine kills each, and Hall added nine digs.
First-year Tatum Clay had an efficient day both ends of the court, hitting .308 (5-1-13), making a career-high four solo blocks (six total) and three aces.
The Bearkats controlled the match from the start, taking a seven-point lead out of the gate, and growing the lead to 15-6 at the media timeout. The Warhawks cut into the deficit with a 5-0 run, scoring on Aniya Hall and Abby Cunningham swings, a Tatum Clay solo block and an ace from Bre Perrin. But ULM couldn't climb all the way back, dropping the set 25-21.
The second set went in the Bearkats' favor as well, as they jumped out to another early lead. Sam Houston controlled the set, the whole way, never surrendering the lead. The Warhawks got within two points at 19-17 after a Kenzie Behl kill and another solo block by Tatum Clay, but the Bearkats rebuilt the score all the way to get within one set of taking the match.
The Warhawks took their first lead of the match early in the third, leading 8-6 after back-to-back aces from Clay, bringing her to 13 on the season. First-year Zharia Alleyne made herself known, notching two blocks and three kills throughout the set, helping see the Warhawks to their first lead of the match. ULM took a four-point lead into the break and increased it to five after Eden Pietrzak's ace. The Bearkats chipped away to trail by just two, but Abby Cunningham took back-to-back swings to put the Bearkats on the ropes. Alleyne put the set away on a kill, capitalizing a 6-1 run, and taking it 25-17.
ULM went up 6-2 on another swing from Clay to open the fourth set. The two teams traded 3-0 runs until that put the Bearkats on top at the media timeout, 15-14. Clay's fourth solo block of the match put ULM back in the lead, but the Bearkats put up five unanswered to put them in the driver's seat. Sam Houston took the set 25-21 to clinch the match.
UP NEXT
The Warhawks will face Lamar for their second match of the day tonight at 7 p.m. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.
