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NEW ORLEANS – The five set wonders struck again with the Privateers taking a page out of a special guest at the Human Performance Center; electrifying the HPC crowd behind Pikachu's appearance on 90's night in the University of New Orleans' (8-9, 2-1 Southland) 3-2 win over Nicholls State University (2-14, 0-3 Southland) Tuesday evening.
The Privateers took an early 25-23 lead but fell behind after the Colonels took sets two and three 31-29, 25-21, respectively, but responded with a 25-23 and 15-6 win to clinch the W.
Blessing Dunn led all players with 17 kills and added 16 digs, three aces and four blocks for her eighth double-double of the season and fourth consecutive 10+ kill/dig performance.
Sarah Thomas fell one assist shy of her career-high – set September 24, 2016 versus Lamar University (October 18, 2016), finishing with 60 assists, 17 assists and four blocks.
Kaitlyn Grice added 14 kills and seven blocks,
Kyra Hunter hit .632 for 12 kills and three blocks and
Rhyan Rand collected nine kills and three blocks.
SET ONE
New Orleans hit a season best .531 in the opening set to take a 1-0 lead with a 25-23 win. The first error did not come until 24-23. Rand was 6-of-7 and teamed with Dunn for a block. Dunn added three kills and a solo block. Grice collected five kills. Thomas registered 15 assists and
Andrea Nava led all players with six digs.
Alexa Spartz subbed in with a service ace.
SET TWO
Nicholls jumped out to an 8-1 lead before Grice's kill ended the Colonels run. The kill propelled the Privateers to a run of their own, highlighted by four unanswered points to cut their deficit to 11-7, forcing an NSU timeout.
After a break, UNO continued its comeback with three more on Rand's kill, Dunn's ace and a block by Thomas and Rand. Nicholls went up by two, but New Orleans tied the set on Grice's block to make it 13-all. A Thomas ace and kills by Hunter and
Breanna Vega put the Privateers in front 16-14. For good measure, Hunter and Dunn went back-to-back to extend the lead.
The back and forth continued with Nicholls regaining the lead 21-20. Dunn followed with a kill and ace to knot it up at 22. Hindenburg's ace made it 24-23 UNO with the battle continuing. Moments later, with Nicholls ahead 26-25, Grice's kill tied the set. The trend continued with Dunn's kill erasing the deficit and Hindenburg's arm brought the HPC crowd to its feet, putting UNO in front 28-27.
Tied at 28, Hunter's kill made it set point in favor of UNO. The Colonels knotted the match with the 31-29 win at No. 2.
SET THREE
The Colonels rode the momentum from set No. 2 to take a 2-1 lead with the 25-21 win.
SET FOUR
A 6-0 UNO run put the Privateers in front 10-8 after an early Nicholls lead. Hindenburg combined for two blocks during the rally.
The Colonels forced a home timeout after binding the set at 18. The Privateers came up big defensively to bring the sixth fifth set of the season. UNO tallied 3.0 team blocks and two aces in the set.
SET FIVE
Back-to-back kills by Hunter and Thomas put the Privateers in the driver's seat (6-2) as the Colonels called a timeout looking to stop the furious comeback. New Orleans clinched the win to move to 2-1 in conference.
NEXT UP
New Orleans resumes its home stand versus Northwestern State University Thursday at 6 p.m.
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