University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
2-1
Alcorn State
0-2
Cajuns Split Day 2 of LSU Tiger Classic
8/27/2011 7:15:00 PM | Volleyball
The University of Louisiana volleyball team closed out day two of the LSU Tiger Classic with another 1-1 performance at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge on Saturday. UL picked up a 3-0 sweep (25-10, 25-10, 25-8) over Alcorn State, but fell to ACC foe Miami (FL) 0-3 (19-25, 21-25, 16-25).
Blair Claypoole, a LSU Tiger Classic All-Tournament selection, had a career day, leading UL (2-2 overall) with 13 kills against the Braves and 12 versus Miami. Lavinia Tataran also tallied double digits against the Hurricanes, totaling 10 kills.
Junior setter Mandi Gavin put together a combined 60 assists on Saturday to put herself just 341 away from reaching UL's top-5 list for all-time assists.
The Ragin' Cajuns will open the season at home next Friday and Saturday, Sept. 3-4 with the Bon Temps Invitational. UL welcomes Texas Southern on Friday at 7 p.m. On Saturday, the Cajuns host Mississippi Valley State at Noon and close out the tournament with Nicholls State at 6 p.m.
Louisiana vs. Alcorn State
Louisiana used another balanced attack to ink their first sweep of the season, defeating Alcorn State, 3-0 (25-10, 25-10, 25-8) in a match that lasted 59 minutes.
UL (2-1 overall) held a .442 attacking percentage against the Braves, totaling 40 kills. 13 service aces helped UL gain an offensive advantage. Alcorn State (0-2 overall) hit .029 for the match, recording only 15 team kills.
Junior Blair Claypoole notched a career-best 13 kills, tallying a .650 attacking percentage. Setter Mandi Gavin paced UL with 26 assists in the match.
Gavin, Kerrilyn Lazare, Lesley Mirarichi and Tonice White each had five kills. Sophomore Lavinia Tataran followed with four for the Cajuns.
Defensively, Taylor Meade totaled 13 digs in her third match as libero for the Ragin' Cajuns.
In set one of the match, UL jumped out to an 11-4 lead before closing out the match with seven consecutive points to win the point, 25-10. Claypoole led the team with eight kills in the first set.
Again, Louisiana jumped ahead in the second set 16-3 with six consecutive points from the serve of freshman Andrea Hole. Alcorn State outscored the Cajuns 7-to-5 in the final 12 points, but the deficit was too far to overcome as UL notched another 25-10 victory.
The final set saw the Cajuns open to a 12-2 advantage. Alcorn State was disrupted defensively as the Braves were held to a -.148 attacking percentage during the set. UL closed out the match with seven consecutive points to win the set and match, 25-8.
Louisiana vs. Miami (FL)
Miami used a strong attacking scheme to down the Cajuns 3-0 (19-25, 21-25, 16-25) in Saturday afternoon's contest.
UL played strong offensively, inking 40 kills for a .216 attacking percentage. The team managed five total blocks with 48 digs.
Blair Claypoole once again led UL with 12 kills, while Lavinia Tataran reached double-figures with 10. Miami's Alex Johnson notched a double-double with 17 kills and 13 digs.
Junior Mandi Gavin set 34 assists and stuffed two blocks in the match. Taylor Meade scooped up a team-leading 16 digs for the Cajuns.
In set one, the Hurricanes never relinquished a lead despite several threats from the Cajuns. UL pulled within one at 5-6, but Miami then proceeded on a 9-to-4 run. Miami closed out the first set, 25-19. Tataran led the Cajuns with five kills in the set.
Louisiana opened on a 4-0 run in the second set, but Miami came back to pull within two at 12-10. The two teams traded points for a few plays until the Hurricanes closed out on an 8-to-4 run to win the second point, 25-21. Lesley Mirarchi had a team-leading four kills during that span.
Miami took an early stronghold in the third match. The 'Canes went on an 18-to-7 run to pick up their second victory of the 2011 season (25-16). Meade picked up four digs for the Cajuns.
LSU Tiger Classic All-Tournament Team
Tiger Classic All-Tournament Team MVP: Alex Johnson [Miami] Defensive MVP: Meghan Mannari [LSU] Desiree Elliott [LSU] Katie Gallagher [Miami] Madie Jones [LSU] Ryan Shaffer [Miami] Blair Claypoole [Louisiana] Stephanie Koontz [Jacksonville State]
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
