LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The New Orleans Privateers were climbing the proverbial mountain and nearly pushed a fifth set but they fell 3-1 (25-15, 25-13, 24-26, 26-24) to the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles on Saturday at Knights Hall.
Southern Indiana hit over .300 in each of the first two sets and had 28 kills to seven errors. They had a 28-11 advantage in the kill department in that stretch.
New Orleans showed the determination to come through in a clutch third set. The Privateer defense extended rallies and stuck the Screaming Eagles in rotations for longer portions of the third and fourth set.
A 6-1 run in the third set vaulted the Privateers to a 14-10 lead. Southern Indiana fought their way back to level terms at 21-21 and had a look at match point after an Abby Bednar kill. However, New Orleans kept the match alive through a Southern Indiana attack error.
Once in extra rallies,
Irene Kitson delivered a clutch kill and an attempt that went wide from Southern Indiana's side pushed the match to a fourth set.
New Orleans had all the early momentum on their side as they built a 14-7 lead. Two aces along with three kills each from
Ola Filip and
Ava Kennon were a big part of the early advantage the Privateers enjoyed.
The score line read 22-18 still in favor of the Privateers but three attack errors in a stretch of five rallies narrowed the gap. Filip gave the Privateers two opportunities at set point after her kill made it 24-22.
But it was Southern Indiana who prevailed in the late stages with four straight points in their favor which wrapped the match and gave the Screaming Eagles their second win of the season.
INSIDE THE BOX
Filip led the Privateers in kills with 11 and added 13 digs for her first collegiate double-double.
Irene Kitson finished with nine kills and
Ryan Williams added eight kills. Four Privateers landed in double digits in digs co-led by Filip and
Vera Beltrame (13 each).
Elani Ratchkovska was in on five of the team's blocks and
Claire Turner also had four block assists on the day.
NEXT UP
The Privateers will host the New Orleans Invitational starting on Friday, Sept. 8.
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