University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
10-15, 2-7Sun Belt
Western Kentucky
22-3, 9-1Sun Belt
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Kentucky | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
| Louisiana | 17 | 21 | 22 | 0 |
UL Keeps Pace With Nationally Ranked WKU
10/22/2011 2:49:00 AM | Volleyball
Louisiana (10-15, 2-7 Sun Belt) was able to force a combined 20 ties and seven lead changes over the final two sets. Western Kentucky (22-3, 9-1 Sun Belt) averaged 17 kills per set for the entire match to fend off the host-Cajuns by scores of 25-17, 25-21, 25-22.
The match was the first of two this weekend at Earl K. Long Gym and began a stretch in which UL plays six of the season's final eight matches at home. The Cajuns return to the court at E.K. Long on Saturday to face Middle Tennessee at 7 p.m.
As a reminder to fans, the Cajuns are holding their annual DigPink! event in conjunction with October being Breast Cancer Awareness month. Fans are encouraged to wear pink as the team helps raise awareness about breast cancer. During Saturday's match with Middle Tennessee, fans will get to bid on UL's pink jerseys in a silent auction.
Tonice White paced the Cajuns efforts offensively, tallying 12 kills on 20 attempts at a .600 clip. Lelsey Mirarchi threw down eight kills in 20 attempts.
The Hilltoppers had three players reach double figures in kills as Jordyn Skinner tallied 14, Paige Wessel posted 12 and Jane' Diggins added 10 off the bench.
Kills by Kaylee Nemeth and Mirarchi gave UL a 2-1 lead to start the match. WKU responded with points on the next four rallies, using a pair of kills, a block and an ace to grab a lead that stood the rest of the opening set.
An attack error by Sarah Rogers lowered the Cajuns deficit to 18-14, but the Toppers responded with a kill and service ace from Melaine Stutsman to stretch the advantage to six points.
The Cajuns matched the Hilltoppers in kills in the second set (both teams had 15) and never let the visitors lead grow larger than five points.
A Blair Claypoole kill pulled UL within two points, 18-16, however WKU received a kill from Diggins to prevent the Cajuns from getting any closer. A block and subsequent kill from Tiffany Elmore upped the Hilltoppers lead to 21-16.
In the final set the Cajuns did not commit an attack error until the final rally and that allowed them to push WKU to the brink of a fourth set despite the Toppers notching 22 kills in the set.
The two squads went back and forth as there were 16 ties and six lead changes in the final stanza.
UL broke a tie and took a 14-12 lead with a kill from White and block thrown up by White and Claypoole. WKU used a 6-2 run to pull ahead 18-16, then UL bounced back with a 5-2 run to take a 21-20 lead.
The score was knotted at 22-all following White's sixth kill of the set. WKU escaped a fourth set by getting kills from Diggins and Elmore on the next two rallies then Diggins blocked a Claypoole attack attempt on match point - the Cajuns lone attack error of the set - to clinch the sweep.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
