Box Score NEW ORLEANS - The University of New Orleans volleyball team handed Kim Young her first win at the helm of the program, defeating crosstown rival Southern-New Orleans 3-0 (25-19, 25-8, 25-8) at the Lakefront Auxiliary Gym on Wednesday night.
Edina Dobi and Kaitlin Hatcher had seven kills apiece for UNO (1-3) with Kayla McGee adding in six. The Privateers, who struggled offensively in the first three matches of the year, bounced back to hit 0.347 in the match including a .464 clip in the first set.
Cassidy Asebroek dished out a season-high 27, surpassing her previous high of 24. Defensive specialist Lauren Massulla handled the back row with 14 digs, helping UNO's defense limit SUNO (0-1) to a -0.111 hitting percentage for the match.
Wynieka Anderson was the top hitter with kills for the Knights, who could not spoil Young's current 24-game home regular win streak, the second longest active streak in Division I.
In the opening set, UNO jumped out to a 5-1 lead and took advantage of a strong offense to power to a 25-19 victory. Dobi had five kills on just seven attacks to lead the Privateers, who took four set points to seal the frame.
Massulla got UNO off to a solid first step in the second frame, as the Privateers scored five straight to open the set. On the serve of Alexis Daigle, the lead grew to 10-2 with three consecutive Evelyn Kovacs aces pushing UNO to a 21-5 advantage. SUNO struggled on the attack, hitting -.212 in the set, a convincing 25-8 Privateer win.
It was serving again that aided UNO after the break, opening up a 11-4 lead after an early 4-4 tie on Massulla's serve. The Privateers would roll on service again when on Kovacs' serve, UNO scored seven straight points and took a 20-6 lead. Julia Hopfer took the baton and lead to 21-6 before SUNO scored.
The Knights scored two in a row and would not score again as the Privateers closed out the match and their first win 25-8.
"The first set, we struggled with serving and after that, we picked it up and use our serving within our offensive system," said Young. "We focused in on that and we were successful."
The Privateers will take off for nine days before resuming the 2010 season against Prairie View A&M on Sept. 10 at 2 p.m. in the McNeese State Invitational.
