Privateers Grab Control Early in Win Over Mississippi Valley

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NEW ORLEANS, La. – The New Orleans Privateers volleyball team (13-13) was on cruise control early and polished off a 3-0 sweep (25-9, 25-8, 25-20) over the Mississippi Valley State Devilettes (2-25) on Tuesday night at the Human Performance Center.
 
The Privateers and Devilettes split the first six rallies in the opening set, but New Orleans quickly spurted ahead with a 12-0 run to put the set out of reach. New Orleans hit .367 in the opening set (15 kills, 4 errors, 30 attempts) and had five service aces to set the tone.
 
The second set saw more of the same as both teams again split the first six rallies. New Orleans then scored nine of the next ten rallies in their favor to pull ahead 12-4. The Privateers had four kills in that span and took advantage of Mississippi Valley State committing attack errors on three straight rallies at the beginning of the run.
 
New Orleans was extended a bit more in the third set. After pushing to a 19-12 lead, the Devilettes came right back with a 5-0 spurt to cut the Privateers lead to two. In that span, MVSU had two kills, an ace, and the Privateers had two attack errors. New Orleans repelled the run though with points on the next two rallies, which included a kill by Lane Hindenburg to get the necessary separation that finished off the match.
 
Blessing Dunn went for double digits in kills for the sixth straight match, recording 11 in 22 attempts. Keke Irby had seven kills in nine swings while Kaitlyn Grice and Cara Sander each added six. The Privateers hit .333 for the night and had 12 service aces, one shy of matching a season-best. Shaylene Reimer had five to lead the Privateers in that category and also had a match-best 16 digs Grice and Rondolyn Bryant had two block assists each.
 
Halle Gayten had seven kills to lead the Devilettes. Cynthia Richardson added five kills as the two combined for 12 of the team's 18 kills on the night. Gayten also co-led the team in digs along with Kalin Barnes, each recording seven. Brianna Watkins was in on two of the team's three blocks.
 
The Privateers go back into conference play on Thursday when they take on McNeese State at home. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
 
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