LAFAYETTE, La. – HBU claimed the first set, but Louisiana bounced back to take a 3-1 (20-25, 25-13, 25-19, 25-20) victory over the Huskies Saturday afternoon at Earl K. Long Gym.
Junior outside hitter
Kelly Colwell recorded the first double-double of the season for the Huskies (0-2), with 11 kills and 19 digs. Freshman outside hitter
Sara Arroyo added five kills, while junior middle blocker
Jada Allen and redshirt freshman outside hitter
Reagan Leinen each had four, with Allen leading HBU with three blocks. Sophomore setter
Ellie Wipf dished out 31 assists and sophomore libero
Marisabel Torres-Rivera matched Colwell for the team high with 19 digs and also had a pair of aces. Freshman defensive specialist
Madeline McKinney came up with nine digs.
Hali Wisnoskie led three Ragin' Cajuns (2-0) with double-figure kills, posting a double-double of 14 kills and 18 digs. Kara Barnes had 13 kills and Tia Jade Smith added 10 kills and three blocks. Kelsey Bennett narrowly missed a double-double of her own with nine kills and 13 digs. Avery Breaux assisted on 44 kills and had 17 digs. Hannah Ramirez led Louisiana defensively with 19 digs and Milayne Danna chipped in with 13.
Louisiana hit .255 for the match, while holding HBU to .071. The Ragin' Cajuns outdug the Huskies, 85-71, but HBU held the advantage in aces (4-2) and blocks (7-5).
In the opening set, the Huskies jumped out to a 7-3 lead, then after the Ragin' Cajuns closed within one, HBU scored three-straight to regain a four-point advantage at 15-11. Louisiana cut the lead to one again at 17-16, but Wipf ignited a five-point run with a kill as HBU took command, 22-16. Colwell closed out the frame with a kill for a 25-20 score.
Louisiana bounced back in the second, breaking a tie with four points in a row to lead 10-6. The Ragin' Cajuns extended the gap to 18-10 and scored seven of the last eight points to even the match with a 25-13 decision.
The Ragin' Cajuns maintained momentum in the third, scoring six of the first seven points, which included back-to-back kills by Barnes and a pair of blocks. HBU fought back to within two at 15-13, but Louisiana reeled off five-straight points to take a seven-point lead. The Ragin' Cajuns took a 2-1 lead in the match, finishing off the set, 25-19.
The Huskies took a 10-6 lead in the fourth, but the Ragin' Cajuns rallied to tie the set at 10 apiece. Louisiana led 13-11, but HBU knotted the score again at 15-15. The Ragin' Cajuns scored the next four points and went on to seal the match with a 25-20.
The Huskies return to action when they face ULM and Southland Conference rival Stephen F. Austin next Saturday in Nacogdoches, Texas.
