BEAUMONT, TEXAS – The ULM volleyball team (5-7) swept Lamar (3-9) on Friday night to split day one of the Lamar Invitational.
Aniya Hall led the Warhawks once again with 12 kills, adding eight digs, two aces and a block. ULM outhit the Cardinals .294 to .152 and committed just eight errors to Lamar's 25.
Two early Tatum Clay kills lifted the Warhawks to an 8-5 lead to open the match, but the Cardinals earned five unanswered points to claim the lead. Lamar held onto the lead, but the score remained close as the Cardinals went into the break, up 15-13. A 3-0 run that included a Zharia Alleyne swing, and a block from Alleyne and Grace Troxell kept ULM in the set. Lamar reached set point at 24-22, but the Warhawks forced an error, and Aniya Hall's kill evened the score. ULM sealed the set on a Troxell kill, taking it 27-25.
The second set began similarly to the first, with the teams trading the lead back and forth. The Warhawks put up seven unanswered, featuring two aces by Bre Perrin. The Cardinals responded quickly, taking their own run and the lead back. The teams traded the lead five times, until the Warhawks shut Lamar down with another seven straight points, taking the set 25-20. Kenzie Behl, Aniya Hall, Tatum Clay and Grace Troxell combined for final seven points, bringing the Warhawks one set away from clinching the match.
The third set mirrored the first two early as well, with six ties before the score reached double digits. But the Warhawks broke the cycle with a 3-0 run heading into the break to lead 15-11. ULM continued to ride the streak, scoring 12 straight points, all the way to match point. Setter Morgan Howard clinched the sweep on her fourth kill of the season, and the Warhawks won the set by a whopping 25-13.
UP NEXT –
ULM will wrap up the Lamar Invitational tomorrow (September 19th) against North Dakota. First serve is set for 10 a.m.
