University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Friday, September 6
Houston, Texas
4:00 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
2-3
1
vs
3
Northwestern State
4-1
1
2
3
4
F
Northwestern State
25
25
24
25
3
Louisiana
23
19
26
23
1
Late Push Stopped Short as Cajuns Drop Match with Demons
9/6/2024 7:54:00 PM | Volleyball
Louisiana falls two points shy of taking Northwestern State to a fifth set
HOUSTON – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball team was unable to replicate a late rally in the fourth set and Northwestern State held on to claim a 3-1 (25-23, 25-19, 24-26, 25-23) win on Friday, September 6 in the Flo Hyman Classic at the Fertitta Center in Houston.
Louisiana (2-3) extended the match to a fourth set after kills from Abby Cunningham and Jaylynn McNeill erased a 23-22 deficit and set up the extra-point triumph in the third set.
Trailing 22-20 in the fourth set, the Ragin' Cajuns would pull even on an ace from Megan Hawkins. However, the Demons (4-1) answered with back-to-back winners and prevented UL from forcing extra points a second time when a Reaghan Thompson kill secured match point.
By forcing 14 ties and seven lead changes over the final two stanzas the Ragin' Cajuns put themselves in a position to overcome a 2-0 match deficit.
It was an evenly contested match with both teams notching 55 kills. NSU found an advantage on defense, forcing the Cajuns into 30 attack errors, throwing up 13 blocks and holding UL to a .164 hitting percentage.
Louisiana started the match with a 6-0 run, but the Demons' ability to side out at 70 percent through the second set swung the momentum in their favor.
After battling back to a 16-all tie in the opening frame, NSU allowed the Cajuns to score consecutive points only once down the stretch in completing the rally for the 25-23 victory. The Demons leapt out to a 6-1 lead in the second set and prevent UL from string together a run longer than two points.
In a game of runs in the third stanza, it was a set-opening 3-0 spurt featuring a block and kill from Cailin Demps that set the tone for the Ragin' Cajuns. Louisiana countered every NSU push including breaking a late 4-0 run by the Demons with the Cunningham-McNeill sequence to jump ahead 24-23.
LEADING THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
The offense was driven by Jazmine Gaston and Demps who each posted their fourth double-digit kills effort of the season with 19 and 17 kills, respectively. The total marked a season-high for Gaston.
Gaston and Demps supplied at least three kills in every set. The duo combined for 12 kills in the first set and Gaston fired off seven kills alone in the third set to give the Cajuns life.
Middle blockers Cami Hicks and Chelsea Gilmore led a group of four Cajuns that had a hand in multiple blocks with three blocks apiece.
Libero Mio Yamamoto reached the 20-dig mark for the second straight day and fourth time in five matches on the season. Her match-high 24 digs brought her total in the Flo Hyman Classic to 50 digs over nine sets (5.6/set).
Gaston (11) and Danielle Taix (10) joined Yamamoto in posting double digits in digs. The result was the second double-double of the season for Gaston.
Hawkins passed out 29 assists and recorded multiple aces for the fifth straight match. She tied her season-high with three aces, increasing her season total to 14 aces.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana returns to E.K. Long Gym for a weekday matchup with McNeese on Tuesday, September 10. First serve is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. with admission free and open to the public.
It's the first Cajuns-Cowgirls matchup since the 2019 Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic at E.K. Long.
The McNeese match marks a brief stop at home for UL as the squad travels to Bryan-College Station, Texas for the Texas A&M Invitational for matches with New Hampshire, Temple and Texas A&M from September 13-15.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsVB), Facebook (/RaginCajunsVB) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsVB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Volleyball.
Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
Louisiana (2-3) extended the match to a fourth set after kills from Abby Cunningham and Jaylynn McNeill erased a 23-22 deficit and set up the extra-point triumph in the third set.
Trailing 22-20 in the fourth set, the Ragin' Cajuns would pull even on an ace from Megan Hawkins. However, the Demons (4-1) answered with back-to-back winners and prevented UL from forcing extra points a second time when a Reaghan Thompson kill secured match point.
By forcing 14 ties and seven lead changes over the final two stanzas the Ragin' Cajuns put themselves in a position to overcome a 2-0 match deficit.
It was an evenly contested match with both teams notching 55 kills. NSU found an advantage on defense, forcing the Cajuns into 30 attack errors, throwing up 13 blocks and holding UL to a .164 hitting percentage.
Louisiana started the match with a 6-0 run, but the Demons' ability to side out at 70 percent through the second set swung the momentum in their favor.
After battling back to a 16-all tie in the opening frame, NSU allowed the Cajuns to score consecutive points only once down the stretch in completing the rally for the 25-23 victory. The Demons leapt out to a 6-1 lead in the second set and prevent UL from string together a run longer than two points.
In a game of runs in the third stanza, it was a set-opening 3-0 spurt featuring a block and kill from Cailin Demps that set the tone for the Ragin' Cajuns. Louisiana countered every NSU push including breaking a late 4-0 run by the Demons with the Cunningham-McNeill sequence to jump ahead 24-23.
LEADING THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
The offense was driven by Jazmine Gaston and Demps who each posted their fourth double-digit kills effort of the season with 19 and 17 kills, respectively. The total marked a season-high for Gaston.
Gaston and Demps supplied at least three kills in every set. The duo combined for 12 kills in the first set and Gaston fired off seven kills alone in the third set to give the Cajuns life.
Middle blockers Cami Hicks and Chelsea Gilmore led a group of four Cajuns that had a hand in multiple blocks with three blocks apiece.
Libero Mio Yamamoto reached the 20-dig mark for the second straight day and fourth time in five matches on the season. Her match-high 24 digs brought her total in the Flo Hyman Classic to 50 digs over nine sets (5.6/set).
Gaston (11) and Danielle Taix (10) joined Yamamoto in posting double digits in digs. The result was the second double-double of the season for Gaston.
Hawkins passed out 29 assists and recorded multiple aces for the fifth straight match. She tied her season-high with three aces, increasing her season total to 14 aces.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana returns to E.K. Long Gym for a weekday matchup with McNeese on Tuesday, September 10. First serve is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. with admission free and open to the public.
It's the first Cajuns-Cowgirls matchup since the 2019 Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic at E.K. Long.
The McNeese match marks a brief stop at home for UL as the squad travels to Bryan-College Station, Texas for the Texas A&M Invitational for matches with New Hampshire, Temple and Texas A&M from September 13-15.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsVB), Facebook (/RaginCajunsVB) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsVB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Volleyball.
Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
- www.RaginCajuns.com -
Team Stats
NSU
UL
Kills
55
55
Errors
19
30
Attempts
149
152
Hitting %
.242
.164
Points
74.0
70.0
Assists
53
55
Aces
6
9
Blocks
13.0
6.0
Game Leaders
Kills
19
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
17
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
OH
/ VolleyballOH/OPP
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
MB
/ VolleyballMB/OPP
/ Volleyball
DS
/ Volleyball
L
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