JONESBORO, Ark. - The University of New Orleans volleyball team opened Sun Belt Conference play with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-22) victory over Arkansas State at the Convocation Center on Thursday night, giving the Privateers their first SBC opening night victory since a 2004 victory over South Alabama.
UNO (8-3, 1-0 SBC) received 12 kills from
Lindsey Loyd and 10 from
Maria Szivos to pick up their second straight victory.
Dobrilla Kovacevic added nine kills.
Jaci Bayley put the ball in the right place for the Privateers with 29 assists as UNO hit .274 for the match.
Nicky Valenti led three players in double-digit digs with 14. Kovacevic had 12 while Loyd notched a double-double with 10 digs.
ASU (10-4, 0-1 SBC) was led in defeat by Konae Purcell with 12 kills. Laura Bennett had 25 assists for the Red Wolves while Heather Bowman led all players with 21 digs. Erin Neeley had 14 digs for the host squad.
In the opening set, the Privateers never let the Red Wolves take larger than a one point lead in the early action of the match. UNO would take a lead at 9-8 and would never look back. With ASU within three points late, the Privateers went on a closing kick with Bayley on serve, scoring six consecutive points to push the opening frame within one of a UNO victory before
Edina Dobi picked up the final point for a 25-17 set win on a kill.
The Privateers trailed as late as 17-16 in the second set as the Red Wolves had a lead as large as four at 16-12. Starting at 17-14, UNO went on a tear reeling off eight straight points on Kovacevic's serve highlighted by three
Kaley Hubbard kills as the momentum and the set swung in UNO's favor in a 25-20 frame win.
Taking notes from their second set, the Privateers once more fell behind, trailing by as many as seven points at 16-9. After UNO closed within six on a Kovacevic kill, the senior went on serve as the Privateers went on a 6-0 run to bring the gap down to one. ASU would push the lead back up to two, before Loyd served up two aces during a 5-0 run that put the Privateers in the driver's seat for good.
UNO will continue their Arkansas road swing with a 3 p.m contest on Saturday against UALR. Live stats will be provided on UNOPrivateers.com
