LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - After defeating Arkansas State on Thursday, the
University of New Orleans volleyball could not complete their two-match
swing through the state of Arkansas, falling to UALR 3-2 (18-25, 25-16,
25-19, 22-25, 15-9) on Saturday afternoon.
UALR (13-2, 2-0) SBC was led by Amila Barakovic who tallied 21 kills and Anita Bucur who added 13. Guiliana De Franceso directed the offense with 46 assists as UALR hit .312 on the attack for the match.
Defensively, Amy Haffner had 28 digs for the Trojans while De Franceso comkpleted a double-double with 11 digs. UNO was blocked 14 times on the match by UALR paced by Katie McCutcheon who had a hand in nine blocks for the home squad as the Trojans extended their home win streak to 13.
UNO (8-4, 1-1 SBC) had four players in double-figure kills paced by
Lindsey Loyd and
Dobrilla Kovacevic with 19 kills apiece.
Maria Szivos tacked on 15 while
Edina Dobi had a season-high 13 kills.
Jaci Bayley put up a season-high 60 assists against the Trojans, eight shy of her career-high of 68.
Nicky Valenti had 24 digs for the Privateers while Loyd and Kovacevic each had 14 digs apiece to round out double-double performances for the two outside hitters.
Unlike their match two days ago against Arkansas State when the Privateers were forced to rally from behind late in two sets, UNO had no interest in the same heroics in the opening frame this go around. After UALR scored the first point of the match, UNO scored 7 of 9 points to take an 8-3 lead.
The Privateer lead in the opening set grew to seven as the Privateers would later score 6 of 8 points during a stretch that put the team in the driver's seat for the remainder of the frame, winning 25-18.
The second frame did not go so well for the Privateers as a small early lead quickly turned into a deficit as the team hit a match low .077 in the set in comparison to UALR, who hit .429. The strong hitting performance by the Trojans turned in the most lop-sided set score of the season as UNO fell 25-16.
As the teams came out of the break with the match knotted at one set apiece, it was UALR who had the momentum scoring 5 of 6 to open the frame. UNO would eventually tie it and take a lead at 6-5. The last lead the Privateers would see in the frame came at 9-8 before the Trojans took control taking advantage of three consecutive UNO errors to take a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the way.
With the match on the line, there was no turning back for the Privateers who scored the first four points of the fourth frame and 7 of 8 to take a commanding lead. UALR with the end of the match in sight would not give up as back-to-back kills by Barakovic kicked off a run for the home team as they eventually would tie the game as late as 21 all. A Dobi kill put the Privateers on top 22-21 and Szivos served the team within one of set point before a Kovacevic kill closed the door on UALR 25-22.
For only the second time this season, UNO entered a fifth set. The Trojans jumped out of the game scoring four straight points on Haffner's serve. UNO would get to 5-2 before UALR would not let the gap get within four the rest of the frame as a service ace by Becky Mann brought the match to an end.
UNO will look to rebound as they hit the road for two SBC West division contests next week. The Privateers start with Denver on Friday at 8 p.m before traveling to North Texas for a Sunday afternoon tilt scheduled for 1 p.m.
