Volleyball Splits Doubleheader Against UL Lafayette to Start Season

Friday, August 25

Lafayette, La.

2:00 p.m.

Tulane University

0-1

Louisiana-Lafayette

1-0

Tulane

Louisiana

Volleyball Splits Doubleheader Against UL Lafayette to Start Season

Aug 25, 2017 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

LAFAYETTE, La. – Tulane volleyball opened the 2017 regular season with a doubleheader against UL Lafayette on Friday in Lafayette, La., dropping a tightly contested first match, 3-1, before sweeping the second match in commanding fashion, 3-0.

THIS ONE BELONGS TO THE WAVE! #RollWave pic.twitter.com/x4XZYSITKv
— Tulane Volleyball (@GreenWaveVB) August 26, 2017

Match One
A fast start by UL Lafayette had the Green Wave on its heels in the first set. UL Lafayette jumped out to 11-4 and 17-9 leads, forcing head coach Jim Barnes to call two timeouts in the process to regroup. Tulane, spurred by junior outside hitter Hannah Shaw's effective attacks (.375 attack percentage in the first set) responded to the adversity and cut the deficit to 23-22, but ultimately dropped the set, 25-22.

The Green Wave and the Ragin' Cajuns exchanged blows in the second set. Tulane and UL Lafayette were knotted up at 23-23, before a successive kill by freshman outside hitter Lexie Douglas and block by freshmen right side hitter Kristen Thompson and middle hitter Markenzie Benoit sealed the set, 25-23. Tulane continued its attack in the third set, opening a 10-4 lead, but UL Lafayette battled back to win the set, 25-22. The Ragin' Cajuns sealed the match by winning the fourth set, 26-24, in comeback fashion after the Wave took a five-point lead (21-16).

Shaw finished with a match-high .400 attack percentage, while Bowers and sophomore libero Kaylie McHugh added 28 assists and 26 digs, respectively.

Match Two
The second match of the day's doubleheader told a different story. The Green Wave came out energized and confident, winning the first set, 25-21. Senior setter Justine Bowers provided nine assists, while junior middle hitter Dayna Kern recorded five kills. Tulane continued to roll in the second set, winning 25-23, after going on a 10-2 run down the stretch to put the finishing touches on the win.

The Wave earned the victory in the third set, 25-15, and clinched the match on a 4-0 run, highlighted by Shaw's match-ending block. Kern finished with a match-high 12 kills, and McHugh tallied a match-high 16 digs.

Quote

Quick Hits????: Coach Jim Barnes talks about today's doubleheader. #Tulane drops the first match and wins the second, now 1-1 #RollWave pic.twitter.com/AKrwGJRoKT
— Tulane Volleyball (@GreenWaveVB) August 26, 2017

"I think it was a great day of learning for our young team," Jim Barnes said. "We had chances to win in the first match, but we just fell short in a lot of close games. We learned from it, and we took advantage of some of our strengths and played a much higher level game [in the second match]. Our young team learned so much today."

Up Next
Tulane volleyball will host South Alabama tomorrow at the Hertz Center. The teams will play two matches with first serve set for 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. The matches will be free to the public with doors opening at noon.

Season ticket packages for the 2017 season are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283), logging onto TulaneTix.com or visiting the ticket office at the James W. Wilson Jr. Center.

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