University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
8-12, 0-4Sun Belt
Denver
5-10, 2-1Sun Belt
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
| Louisiana | 22 | 22 | 20 | 0 |
Errors Cost UL in Close One With DU
10/1/2011 2:50:00 AM | Volleyball
DU held a slim 39-38 advantage in kills. The Cajuns posted more digs, 51-49. And, there were 18 ties and six lead changes throughout the contest.
However, the Cajuns (8-12, 0-4 Sun Belt) committed 27 attack errors while the Pioneers (5-10, 2-1 Sun Belt) only had 14 and that proved to the difference in a match the visitors won 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-20).
The loss was the second for UL on the current three-match homestand which began on Tuesday vs. La.-Monroe. Louisiana closes out the homestand on Sunday facing North Texas at noon.
Lesley Mirarchi led the Cajuns efforts with 11 kills on 23 attempts, marking the third straight match she reached double figures in kills. Emily Klein and Kerrilyn Lazare added seven kills apiece.
Mandi Gavin returned to setter and posted her fourth consecutive match with a double-double, tallying 30 assists and 10 digs.
Freshman Caitlin Auxilien recorded her 10th consecutive outing with double figures in digs, accruing a team-high 12.
For Denver, Faimie Kingsley turned in a match-high 14 kills and libero Lyndi Johnson collected a match-high 15 digs. The Pioneers didn't commit a reception error until the final set and threw up eight total blocks.
The turning point in the opening set came right after a Lazare kill pulled the Cajuns into a 6-all tie. A service error by Taylor Meade returned the lead to the Pioneers, then an attack error by Mirarchi followed by an Alyssa Bonelli kill and another attack error extended DU's lead to 10-6.
Later in the set, Louisiana used kills from Klein and Mayme Cook to trim the deficit to 20-18. A kill from Alex Turgeon ended the Cajuns rally and back-to-back attack errors increased the Pioneers lead to five points, 23-18.
A 4-0 run pulled the Cajuns within one point, but the Pioneers escaped as Meade hit into a block and Tonice White was whistled for a ball handling error.
The Cajuns grabbed a 9-6 lead in the second set, breaking free from a 6-all tie following a Pioneers service error, ball handling error and block thrown up by Gavin and Lazare.
The lead remained intact until Denver forged a 21-all tie. A ball handling error on Julie Cawthra returned the lead to UL momentarily as a kill from Kingsley evened the score and attack errors on the next two rallies provided the Pioneers with a two-point edge.
A Turgeon kill completed the rally and gave the visitors a 2-0 lead in the match.
In the final set Pioneers used a 17-kill attack and .467 hitting percentage to complete the sweep.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
