Blue Raiders Take Marathon Match from Cajuns

Contact: Matt Hebert

LAFAYETTE – After each team took a turn outhitting the other resulting in a split of the first two sets, Middle Tennessee's efficient attack helped the Blue Raiders sneak out two point victories in extended sets and leave Earl K. Long Gym Saturday afternoon with a 3-1 (25-18, 15-25, 26-24, 36-34) win over Louisiana.

There were a total of 30 ties and 14 lead changes over the final two sets. Both times the Blue Raiders (4-14, 1-2 Sun Belt) rallied to extend the set and ultimately claim victory.

The Ragin' Cajuns (9-10, 1-3 Sun Belt) held a 23-20 lead late in the third set following a Mandi Gavin kill. A kill and three Cajuns attack errors – two on MT blocks – resulted in a 4-0 run that gave MT a 24-23 edge.

Louisiana drew even on a Brandi Waller attack error, but the 14^th and 15^th Blue Raider kills of the set were delivered by Tyler Richardson and Waller to hand the visitors the set and a 2-1 lead in the match. UL hit .054 and committed eight attack errors in the crucial set defeat.

The Cajuns' offense came alive in the fourth set, piling up 22 kills to keep pace with the Blue Raiders. In the fourth set alone, there were 23 ties and 10 lead changes.

Trailing 26-25, UL fended off set and match point with an Abby Filce kill then each team took turns collecting sideouts. Once the set reached 31-all, a pair of untimely service errors kept the Cajuns from taking the lead.

Similar to Friday night's match with Western Kentucky, the attack errors came back to haunt the Cajuns. After drawing a 34-all tie on a Tonice White kill, back-to-back attack errors – the squad's 11^th and 12^th of the decisive set – handed MT the set and the match.

The loss was the Cajuns third straight dating back to a five-set thriller at North Texas last Saturday. UL was swept on its Sun Belt home-opening weekend, marking the first back-to-back home defeats since being swept by WKU and MT Oct. 21-22, 2011. The Cajuns have still won 22 of the past 31 matches at Earl K. Long Gym.

Louisiana takes to the road next weekend for the Florida swing visiting FIU (Oct. 5) and Florida Atlantic (Oct. 6). The next weekend at Earl K. Long Gym is scheduled for Oct. 12-13 when Arkansas State and UALR visit.

White and Laivina Tataran each posted 13 kills to pace the Cajuns attack which rolled up 55 kills (13.8 kills per set). White committed only one attack error over 29 swings resulting in a .414 hitting percentage.

Mandi Gavin collected 40 of UL's 50 assists, lowering her total needed for 3,000 career assists below 200. Entering October, Gavin needs just 162 assists to reach the 3,000-plateau.

Caitlyn Auxilien posted her 15^th outing of double figure digs with a team-best 14, scooping up 13 over the final three sets.

The trio of Gavin, Andrea Hole and Taylore Meade all served up two aces leading the Cajuns to nine in the match.

The Blue Raiders, who snapped an 11-match losing streak, fed off the combo of Chelsea Ross and Waller. Ross notched a double-double with 19 kills and 16 digs, while Waller piled up 17 kills on 37 swings.

MT's hitting percentage finished at .285 (61 kills, 22 errors, 137 attempts) and stayed above .300 until halfway through the fourth set.

The match was evenly contested with MT holding slim edges in kills (61-55), assists (58-50), blocks (11-7) and points (74-71). The Blue Raiders were able to get to a few more balls defensively, scooping up 43 digs over the final two sets.

MT raced paced the Cajuns in the opening set hitting .654 (19 kills, 2 errors, 26 attempts). The visitors scored the first two points and never trailed.

UL's hitting remained hot in the second set and the Blue Raiders cooled off down to .222 and the result was rather convincing Cajuns victory. Louisiana hit .346 (12 kills, 3 errors, 26 attempts) and recorded a 68 percent sideout success rate.

The Cajuns put the Blue Raiders away when Tataran broke the MT serve with a kill and a 10-5 edge. A Hole ace, Tataran kill and subsequent White kill staked the hosts to 13-5 advantage.

The Blue Raiders closed within five points late in the set, 20-15, but Tataran kicked off a 5-0 Cajuns run with a kill and the Cajuns drew even in the match.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

Blue Raiders Take Marathon Match from Cajuns

Next Event

Team Stats

Tonice White

Lavinia Tataran

Blair Claypoole

Andrea Hole

Footer

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics