NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Privateers got out to a fast start and took the McNeese Cowgirls right down to the wire but fell on the short end of a 3-2 decision at the Human Performance Center on Saturday.
FIFTH SET DRAMA
The Privateers vaulted to a 4-1 lead early but McNeese clawed back to level terms at 7-7. Neither team could separate from there but at 14-14, McNeese's Macee Krpec took the Cowgirls to match point. Aryn Johnson dealt the deciding blow when her 11
th kill got McNeese the victory and a comeback from down two sets.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Privateers raced out to a 14-8 lead and withstood a late McNeese charge that cut the lead to two. After a timeout called, New Orleans had a resolute response. They capped off the set when
Atira Jells and
Kai Williams combined on a block. The Privateers hit .310 for the set and had 17 kills to just four errors.
The second set featured a tight battle that McNeese led late on at 20-18. However, New Orleans came roaring back with a 7-1 run to cap the set in their favor. A free ball kill by Jells finished off the set. In that final stretch of the set, the Privateers had two blocks.
McNeese came on strong to take the next two sets and force the deciding fifth. The Cowgirls separated late in the third set by scoring the last four points to finish off what was a close set. The fourth set saw McNeese rack up the first 15 points on their way to a 25-6 set victory. The Cowgirls hit .500 as a team on the fourth set.
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Jells and
Sh'Diamond Holly co-led the Privateers with 13 kills each on the afternoon.
Trinity Jackson finished with 10 kills and 13 digs.
Sheilah Purcell added a team-best 21 digs while
Tara Goolsby posted 44 assists and nine digs. Holly and
Alexis Parrish each added three aces. Jells led the block brigade with seven on the day.
NEXT UP
The Privateers will close the regular season with Senior Day on Thursday, Nov. 11 when they take on Nicholls. First serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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