NEW ORLEANS –
Sheilah Purcell became the latest to join the 1,000-dig club but it was the HCU Huskies (22-9, 14-4) who won 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-15) over the New Orleans Privateers (15-15, 9-9) on Saturday at the Human Performance Center.
The win clinched an outright Southland championship for the Huskies, their first since joining the conference (2013).
1K FOR SHEILAH
Purcell registered eight digs in the first set to put her right on the doorstep of 1,000. 12 rallies into the second set, Purcell got to 1,000, becoming the 11
th Privateer to accomplish the feat.
HOW IT HAPPENED
New Orleans got out to a flying start with seven kills and no errors in their first 12 attempts. The Privateers led 18-12 when HCU started to rally. They scored eight of the next nine points as three different Huskies registered kills.
With the score tied at 23-23, an attack error on the Privateers brought about set point. That was converted when Jada Allen and Anna Gadway got to the outside for a tandem block which finished off the set.
New Orleans again had early momentum, racing out to a 7-4 lead but the Huskies went on a subsequent 5-1 run to take the lead. After moving their advantage to 15-10, the Privateers responded behind a big service rotation from
Claire Turner to cut the lead to one.
However, the Huskies turned back the Privateer rally again on the strength of three kills from Sara Arroyo.
The third set saw the Huskies clinch a regular season title by committing six fewer attack errors. They also had three blocks at the net. HCU hit under their regular season attack percentage as they only converted as a .172 clip but they held the Privateers to a .120 attack percentage on the day.
INSIDE THE BOX
Trinity Jackson had a double-double with 10 kills and 11 digs on the day. Purcell led the way in digs with 17 on the afternoon.
Mauri Carver finished with six kills and five total blocks (four solo, one assist).
Kristi Gomez had eight kills on the day.
Arroyo and Shelby O'Neal co-led the Huskies in kills with 10 each. Alexia Jones added 14 digs and Audrey Pearce had four total blocks (three solo).
NEXT UP
The Privateers will head to the Southland Tournament next week in Hammond, La. The tournament starts on Nov. 17 at the University Center.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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