NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Privateers took the first set in extra rallies, and provided a stern test in a 3-1 (24-26, 25-18, 25-22, 25-20) loss to the Providence Friars on Saturday at the Human Performance Center.
Ania Anderson had a career-high 13 kills and the Privateer defense held the Friars below their season average in attack percentage. Providence hit .212 for the match, but the difference became the block. The Friars had 15 total blocks to the Privateers' six.
The Privateers held Providence to an .096 attack percentage and capitalized on their third opportunity at set point in the opening set after a Friars attack error. The score was tied on 17 different occasions in the first set.
Providence used a big surge early and held off a late Privateer rally in the second. The Friars raced out to a 12-2 lead, but the Privateers closed the gap to as little as two points. After a replay was awarded on a challenge for a blocking error the Friars won the next points with two coming off aces from Sophia Adkins.
New Orleans led by as many as five points early in the third set, but the Friars rallied back to take a 20-17 lead. The Privateers went on to score on five of the next seven rallies to level the score again, but the Friars surged again late behind a three-point spurt which included a block and a service ace.
The Privateers were playing from behind for most of the fourth set but continued to challenge the Friars behind a defense that averaged 18 digs per set for the match and had 23 digs in the opening set.
It was Adkins who finished the match for Providence with her 20
th kill of the day to go along with eight digs, four blocks and four aces. Fielding Mayhugh had 11 kills and Tori Otter finished with 10 kills and seven total blocks.
INSIDE THE BOX
Alessandra Meoni finished with 12 kills and 16 digs.
Defne Eciroglu had 33 assists and 17 digs.
Celia Mbaya finished with 11 digs.
Vanae Sapp added nine kills and
Akeir Scales had six kills along with three total blocks.
NEXT UP
The Privateers will face Alabama State on Sunday at 12 p.m.
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