HOUSTON – HBU rallied past New Orleans in the first set, then held off the Privateers over the next two for the sweep, 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-18), in Southland Conference volleyball Thursday night at Sharp Gym.
 
Freshman middle blocker recorded eight kills and eight blocks for HBU (11-5, 2-0 SLC), which registered its third-straight sweep. Junior right side Anna Gadway added seven kills and three blocks. Freshman outside hitter Alyssa May had six kills, six digs and five blocks, while senior middle blocker Ebonie Ballesteros had six kills and four blocks. Junior setter Ellie Wipf dished out 26 assists to go along with five kills, 12 digs and four blocks. Sophomore libero Kaley Feris came up with 13 digs and freshman defensive specialist Tatiana Evans had 10.
 
Kai Williams had nine kills, five digs and four blocks for UNO (1-9, 1-1), while Sh'Diamond Holly also had nine kills and recorded three blocks. Alexis Parrish tallied seven kills and Atira Jells had five. Lucie Pokorna finished with 28 assists, three kills and eight digs, while Sheilah Purcell led the Privateers defensively with 16 digs.
 
HBU hit .206 for the match, while holding UNO to an .096 attack percentage. The Huskies outdug the Privateers, 49-45, outblocked them, 12-7, and outaced them, 6-4.
 
UNO got out to a fast start in the first set, leading by as many as seven at 12-5. Still trailing at 14-8, HBU scored seven of the next eight points to tie the set at 15-15. The Privateers scored back-to-back points to lead 19-17, but a kill by Ballesteros and an ace by Evans tied it back up. The Huskies took their first lead of the match at 21-20, the only lead change of the first frame, but UNO answered to tie. A Pearce kill was followed by a Gadway ace to give HBU a two-point cushion. After UNO sided out on a service error, May had a kill to get to set point and Rita Zecchin's attack went long as the Huskies claimed the set, 25-22.
 
HBU scored four of the first five points in the second, but UNO bounced back and tied the set at 8-8. Neither team led by more than a point until the Huskies scored three-straight to go up 14-12. The Privateers answerd with a four-point run to lead 16-14, but the Huskies came out of timeout to score the next three to take a one-point lead. Tied 17-17, HBU ripped off a six-point run, including back-to-back kills and a pair of blocks by Ballesteros. Gadway put the set away with a kill for the 25-21 win.
 
After the Privateers score the first three points in the third, the Huskies scored the next three. UNO sided out, but HBU put together three more in a row and never relinquished the lead the rest of the match. The Privateers remained within one at 11-10, but a kill by Gadway and back-to-back aces by Feris extended the Huskies' lead to four. UNO came back to score the next two, but HBU scored five-straight to push its advantage to 19-12. Gadway and May had back-to-back kills to end the match with a 25-18 decision.
 
The Huskies wrap up their three-match homestand against Nicholls Saturday at 1 p.m. in Sharp Gym.