NEW ORLEANS – The University of New Orleans volleyball team showed grit and determination against Fordham University in the nightcap of the first day of competition in the New Orleans Invitational. However, the Privateers dropped a five-set match to the Rams 25-20, 16-25, 27-25, 23-25, 15-11.
In a game that saw 33 ties and 18 lead changes, New Orleans (1-1) stood toe-to-toe against Fordham and held an 8-2 advantage in the fifth and deciding set. The Rams took 12 of the next 13 points to take a 14-9 lead virtually clinching the fifth set and the match.
"I feel like we let this one slip away," said head coach
Millicent Van Norden. "Offensively I thought we were pretty good. It was just our passing that let us down in set five."
After dropping the first set to Fordham (2-0) the Privateers owned the second set trailing once at 0-1 but eventually taking control leading by ten at 22-12. A
Blessing Dunn kill supplied set-point, closing the set at 25-16. It was the largest point differential at the end of the quintet of sets.
Fordham held on to take the third set. There were 15 ties and 8 lead changes as the Rams prevailed 27-25.
Kills by junior
Kaitlyn Grice and redshirt freshman
Rhyan Rand late in set four were deciding factors as UNO held off Fordham 25-23 to tie it at 2 sets apiece.
But in the fifth and deciding set, the young Privateers could not close the deal. Last season New Orleans was 1-3 in five-set affairs.
"We let our ball handling fall apart in what we consider phase three which is five points to the end of the set," said Van Norden.
Performances by new and young players were encouraging. Redshirt freshman
Rhyan Rand had 11 kills and 12 digs. True freshman
Kyra Hunter tied junior
Kaitlyn Grice for team high in kills with 12. Junior transfer
Manela Grau seeing her first action at New Orleans had 38 assists and 11 digs.
"We had some people seeing their first ever action in college today so we are young to say the least," said Van Norden.
Junior
Blessing Dunn contributed 9 kills and 18 digs.
In game one of the New Orleans Invitational, UNO got a great start on the season with a win Friday morning over Alcorn State 25-19, 25-17, 25-14. New Orleans had 33 kills in the match led by Grice and
Lane Hindenburg with seven each. Senior
Rondolyn Bryant had six kills and sophomore
Brianna Vega chipped in with 5.
Grau paced New Orleans with 13 assists followed by freshman
Kyra Hunter with 12. UNO had 31 assists in the match while the Lady Braves had only 16.
New Orleans was in control throughout the match that saw six ties and only one lead change.
"It's just going to take time to make everything stable." Van Norden continued, "This was our first day playing two matches on day one so this is the first test of the system and personnel. Everything that wasn't great is fixable."
In other day one action at the University of New Orleans Invitational, Fordham defeated Southeast Missouri State in four sets, 25-21, 25-9, 18-25, 25-19. Southeast Missouri State (1-1) came back to hand Alcorn State (0-2) their second defeat of the day 25-18, 25-13, 25-17.
Action resumes Saturday at 11:00 a. m. at the Human Performance Center with Alcorn State taking on Fordham followed by the Privateers of New Orleans facing Southeast Missouri State in the final match of the weekend at 1 p. m.
After Saturday's encounter, the next time New Orleans will hit the court will be Sept. 1-2 at the Tennessee State Invitational in Nashville, Tennessee.
For more information on New Orleans Volleyball and other Privateer Athletics visit our official website
www.unoprivateers.com or follow us on social media.
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