Todd Ryals

Volleyball Drops First Match with ETBU

9/29/2017 9:34:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Brad Welborn

Box Score

The Louisiana College volleyball team played their first match in the LC/East Texas Baptist rivalry series on Friday night in Marshall, TX. While it would be the Tigers that would take the match in straight sets, 25-9, 25-16, 25-18, the Wildcats showed no quit and played two of their cleanest back-to-back sets of the year in the match. The Wildcats head to Longview, TX on Saturday for a date with the LeTourneau Yellow Jackets. First serve is scheduled for just after 2 pm.

The first set of the night began just like the other two, with LC taking a 1-0 lead. An attack error by the Tigers put the Wildcats on top, a lead they would hold for only a few points as ETBU scored three quick points in a row to go ahead 5-3 on the Cats. LC continued to hang around but with the score sitting at 9-6, the Tigers rattled off seven straight points to take a commanding 16-6 lead. The Wildcats got kills from Sadi Jones and Zharian Maxmillion before the set finished, but the deficit was too great and ETBU took the opening frame 25-9.

In the second set, the Wildcats got a 2-0 lead on ETBU with an opening point ace from Paris Babino and a Tiger attack error. Kills from Jones and Jaslyn Bright added to the Cats lead early, but the Tigers responded with another run, scoring five in a row this time to go ahead 9-5 on the Cats. Although the Tigers would control play the rest of the set, the Wildcats made them earn their points, as just three attack errors the remainder of the set gave points to ETBU. Sadi Jones also finished the set strong for the Wildcats with three impressive kills in short succession near the end of the set.

In the final set of the night, the momentum the Wildcats seemed to gain near the end of the second carried over as they jumped out to a 4-0 lead on ETBU. Kills from Jones and Bright along with an ace from libero Olivia Huval constituted three of the four Wildcats points. ETBU answered with four straight points of their own, only to be matched again by the Wildcats who held an 8-4 lead at that point.

ETBU climbed their way back into the set, but the Wildcats maintained their lead deeper into the frame at 13-12. After tying things at 14, the Tigers found their groove with five kills and an ace put them in the drivers seat at 20-14. From there it was a 5-4 finish in ETBU's favor, as the Cats continued their solid play, only committing one error in the final points.

Sadi Jones had one of the best matches of the season for LC, with a .222 hitting percentage with 10 kills and adding two blocks at the net. Jaslyn Bright finished with seven kills and 11 digs on the night. Paris Babino ended with 16 assists, and Olivia Huval made 12 digs for the Cats.

The Wildcats fall to 0-12 on the season and 0-7 in conference play with the loss. They continue the search for their first match win on Saturday afternoon against LeTourneau (4-12 (0-6)) in Longview. For more on Louisiana College volleyball follow @LC_wvolleyball on Twitter or like them on Facebook.

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