Despite Sweep, Cajuns Push Georgia Tech Until Final Point

Contact: Matt Hebert

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Ragin' Cajuns volleyball team was on the wrong side of a straight sets sweep in the opening match of the Active Ankle Challenge against Georgia Tech, but had opportunities to claim a second set victory and battled the traditional powerhouse in the third set at Stephen C. O'Connell Center on the University of Florida campus.

Louisiana (4-4) was dealt its second consecutive defeat this week by set scores of 25-18, 25-22 and 25-20. The Yellow Jackets (6-1) limited the Cajuns offense to a .070 hitting percentage.

Friday's match was the first between the two schools and the first for UL at the Florida's O'Connell Center.

In a second set that featured six ties and five lead changes, a pair of service errors late kept Louisiana from pulling even in the match.

A Lavinia Tatran kill cut the GT lead to 20-19. In the attempt to tie, a service error by Kristen Armstrong was the first of three straight Yellow Jackets points that opened a 23-19 lead.

UL received an ace from Andrea Hole (pronounced “who-luh”) to cut the deficit to 23-21. With a chance to move within a point, Hole committed a service error. Tech later finished off the set with a Monique Mead kill.

The Cajuns kept pushing the Yellow Jackets and in the third set seemed poised to avoid the sweep. A Bailey Hunter service error gave the Cajuns a 4-3 lead, then a GT attack error and Tataran ace stretched the Cajuns lead to 6-3.

GT caught up and evened the score at 13-all on a block by Courtney Felinski and Ashtaan Horton. An attacking error on Tonice White, put Tech on top, 14-13. The Cajuns stayed within a point or two of the Yellow Jackets until GT broke free from a 21-20 lead by registering points on the final four rallies.

White topped the Cajuns with eight kills. Blair Claypoole added seven on only 18 attempts. For the second straight match, Hole and Mandi Gavin were slowed down by the opposition as the duo combined for just three kills.

Libero Caitlyn Auxilien reached double digits in digs for the sixth straight match and seventh time in eight this season. Auxilien posted a team-best 12 digs.

The Cajuns outside hitters were held in check by the Yellow Jackets. Of Louisiana's 27 kills in the match, 17 came from middle blockers.

“We were right there in the second set and in the third set played extremely well until point 20,” head coach Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot said. “We need to find ways to get our outside hitters in a rhythm producing points.

“Overall, I would give us a B-minus,” Mazeitis-Fontenot remarked. “It was a great effort, but we are capable of so much more.”

Felinski led Tech with a career-high 11 kills and three blocks. Mead recorded her fourth double-double of the season (11 kills, 10 digs) and Hunter added nine kills with a team-high 14 digs. As a team, Georgia Tech hit .257 and used its offense, which produced a combined 33 kills over the second and third set, to keep the Cajuns from posting a set victory.

Louisiana wraps up play in the Active Ankle Challenge with matches against No. 15 Florida (4-2) at 11 a.m. (CDT) and Jacksonville (0-7) at 4:30 p.m. (CDT). The Gators swept JU (25-18, 25-11, 25-11) in Friday's night cap.

UL's meeting with UF will air live on GatorVision which is accessible by visiting www.gatorzone.com.

For all of the latest news and information on Ragin' Cajuns Athletics, visit RaginCajuns.com. Fans can also follow the athletics department on its social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/ULRaginCajuns along with @ULRaginCajuns on Twitter.

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Despite Sweep, Cajuns Push Georgia Tech Until Final Point

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Team Stats

Tonice White

Blair Claypoole

Lavinia Tataran

Kelly Wiesmann

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