Box Score LAFAYETTE, La. -- Slowly but surely the University of New Orleans volleyball team is getting back to form. And now, the Privateers have a shot at a Sun Belt championship.
Maria Szivos and
Lindsey Loyd combined for 23 kills as the visiting Privateers cruised to a 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-13) win at Louisiana-Lafayette on Friday night at Earl K. Long Gym.
Szivos (12 kills, .444 hitting percentage) and Loyd (11 kills, 10 digs) paced the offense, but it was the Privateer defense that took over.
UNO (18-11, 11-7 Sun Belt Conference) had 11 blocks and held ULL (8-24, 2-15) to a -.025 hitting percentage. The win, combined with Denver's loss at UALR Friday, moved the Privateers into a tie for the SBC West lead.
UNO will clinch at least a share of the West Division title with a win at Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday. The victory also avenged a loss to the Ragin' Cajuns on Oct. 20 at home.
That loss started a four-match losing streak for UNO, but the Privateers have rallied with four wins in their last five.
"I am so proud of this team tonight," said UNO head coach
Jozsef Forman. "They played very inspired tonight. It was a really good match."
UNO never trailed in the final set and held ULL to just four kills. Libero
Nicky Valenti had 22 digs.
ULL was paced by Mandi Gavin's nine kills and Lindsay Brown's match-high 23 digs.
The Privateers will wrap up the regular season at 7 p.m. on Saturday at ULM. The game was originally scheduled for 3 p.m. but was adjusted due to a ULM scheduling conflict.
