JU Rallies and Grabs Victory from UL in Gainesville Finale

Contact: Matt Hebert

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Ragin' Cajuns volleyball team had an excellent chance to leave the Stephen C. O'Connell Center with a win in its final match of the Active Ankle Challenge on the University of Florida campus, however Jacksonville turned the tables by erasing a 2-0 deficit with wins in the final three sets.

Louisiana (4-6) was cruising through the match with set victories of 25-14 and 25-22 on the strength of a .333 and .242 hitting percentage through the first two sets.

The Dolphins (1-8) spoiled the Cajuns bid at returning home with a “W” as they proceeded to take the final three sets of the five-set affair all by two points – 25-23, 26-24 and 16-14.

Despite a career-best 21 kills from senior Blair Claypoole the Cajuns couldn't bring an end to their current losing streak which now stands at four matches. Louisiana entered the week riding a four-match win streak after winning the Bon Temps Invitational last weekend.

UL's chance at a sweep slipped away after JU broke a 17-all tie with a 4-1 run, benefitting from three Cajuns attack errors and a reception error. Claypoole cut the Cajuns deficit to 24-23 with a kill, but JU countered with a kill from Gabriela Roman – one of her 20 kills in the match – to claim the third set.

Louisiana opened the fourth set with an 8-6 lead following a Kelly Wiesmann kill. A block by Kendall Courtney and Alison Loeppky sparked an 11-4 run to give JU a 17-12 advantage. The Cajuns stormed back, erasing an 18-14 deficit by scoring five unanswered off a JU service error and four straight kills for a 19-18 lead.

The teams tied three times until the Dolphins took a 24-23 on a Sammie Strausbaugh kill. The Cajuns added a kill from Lavinia Tataran to break up set point. JU benefitted from a service error and a Loeppky kill to force a deciding set.

JU opened an 11-6 lead in the fifth set on three straight Roman kills. A Strausbaugh service error turned the momentum to the Cajuns side as Claypoole kill, block thrown up by Claypoole and Sara Mossakowski, Abby Filce kill and Taylor Meade ace knotted the score at 11-all.

The Dolphins responded with three straight kills to set up match point at 14-11. A Claypoole kill started a three-point rally by UL to stave off match point. A Roman kill gave JU match point and a ball handling error on Tonice White allowed JU to reach the two-point advantage necessary to finish off the set and clinch the match.

Wiesmann tied her season-high and joined Claypoole in double figure kills with 13 on 33 swings. Mandi Gavin registered a double-double dishing out 48 assists and scooping up 13 digs, her first match superlatives since posting a triple-double against Houston Baptist on Aug. 31.

Defensively, Tataran joined libero Caitlyn Auxilien for match-high honors with 16 digs. For Auxilien, she reached double digits in digs for the eighth straight match and ninth time in 10 outings this season. Auxilien has accrued 165 digs through 37 sets (4.46 digs/set) thus far.

The Cajuns had their best match on the front line since posting 10 blocks against Houston Baptist. UL finished the match with eight blocks with Claypoole, Filce and White each having a hand in at least three of them.

Roman registered 20 kills and 10 digs in only her third match of the season to lead the Dolphins offense. Strausbaugh had 12 kills, while junior Courtney and freshman Chunia Graves each posted five blocks. JU finished the match with 10 blocks.

Saturday's match marked the first between the two schools since their days as Sun Belt Conference foes from 1992-97. The previous affair took place on Oct. 11, 1997 in Jacksonville. With the win, JU broke a 3-all tie in the all-time series.

Claypoole finished the Active Ankle Challenge with 41 kills and a .378 hitting percentage. The Mesquite, Texas native averaged 3.42 kills per set and accumulated 48 points over the 12 sets she competed in.

Gavin and Andrea Hole, coming off big weekends in the Bon Temps Invitational, were held in check in Gainesville. The Cajuns setter duo combined for just 15 kills and 23.5 points.

Louisiana has one more week to prepare for Sun Belt Conference action. The Cajuns host Southern on Tuesday, Sept. 11 at Earl K. Long Gym with first serve set for 7 p.m., then travel to Memphis, Tenn., for the Tiger Invitational hosted by the University of Memphis Friday-Saturday, Sept. 14-15. In Memphis, UL will meet Alabama A&M, Belmont, Illinois-Chicago and Memphis.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

JU Rallies and Grabs Victory from UL in Gainesville Finale

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Team Stats

Blair Claypoole

Kelly Wiesmann

Tonice White

Mandi Gavin

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