In the second match of the ING Louisiana Showcase at the New Orleans Arena, the host University of New Orleans volleyball team fell to Louisiana State, 0-3, Tuesday evening. For the Privateers, the loss was the second of the season to the Tigers. UNO falls to 7-10 on the season while LSU is 9-4.
In the match's first game, the two squads played evenly in the beginning but LSU soon took the advantage, posting a 6-3 lead and then extending the margin to four points at 11-7. From there, UNO could get no closer than two points, as the Tigers quickly opened the spread to seven points at 22-15. The Privateers ran off four straight points off sophomore Jennifer Cruz's (Houston, Texas) serve, but LSU responded by putting the Privateers away for good with an 8-4 run to end the set. Out-hitting UNO .224 to .077, the Tigers claimed the game by the score of 30-23.
The second set was closer than the first set, as the score was tied at 10 early in the set. LSU slowly gathered momentum and took a 22-17 advantage before UNO rebounded with four straight points to cut the lead to one at 22-21. A kill by senior Alison Howard (Nevada City, Calif.) tied the game at 23 points apiece, but LSU responded with five straight points to take control of the set at 28-23. Undaunted by the Tiger run, UNO reeled off four straight points of its own, but the effort was too late, as two consecutive Tiger points gave LSU the second set, 30-28.
Unlike the match's first two games, UNO jumped to the early advantage in game three. The Privateers opened a lead at 11-7, but LSU posted a commanding 7-0 run to take the advantage at 14-11. From there, the Tigers would hold the lead for most of the remainder of the game, although UNO kept the set interesting by tying the match on three occasions at 15-15, 23-23 and late in the match at 28-28. However, like the previous game, two straight LSU points would doom the Privateers and close the set with the Tiger victory.
LSU out-hit UNO in every set in the match and finished with a .227 attack percentage for the match, compared to the Privateers' mark of .138.
For UNO, Cruz finished with 12 kills while senior Mary Wanko (Kenner, La.) added a double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs. Howard notched 32 assists and freshman Casie Boyle (Placerville, Calif.) posted 14 digs.
The Tigers had three players with double-digit kills, led by Jennifer Hampton with 14. Hampton also tallied 15 digs for the double-double.
In the evening's first match, Tulane defeated Louisiana-Lafayette, 3-0.
UNO returns to action this Friday night when they travel to conference foe South Alabama for a 7 p.m. match.
