New Orleans, La. – The Louisiana Christian University volleyball team dropped two straight-set matches Saturday at the Big Easy Blastoff, falling 3-0 (25-18, 25-8, 25-14) to the LSU Shreveport Pilots before the #24 Mobile earned a 3-0 (25-11, 25-7, 25-16) victory in the second match of the Wildcats' doubleheader.
Louisiana Christian (1-7) responded to an early deficit with their best stretch against LSU Shreveport (5-6). After LSUS opened the first set with five straight points, LCU rallied to tie the score at 12. A kill by
Holly Rowe helped the Wildcats move ahead 14-12, and the Wildcats maintained a 16-15 advantage before the Pilots scored four consecutive points. That run shifted the set, and LSUS closed on a 10-2 surge to win 25-18.
Louisiana Christian scored the first two points of the second set behind a kill and a service ace by
Natalie Aasen, but the Pilots answered with an eight-point run and pulled away for a 25-8 victory.
Mallory Wills opened the third set with a kill, and the Wildcats later produced a determined response while facing match point at 24-8. Two assisted blocks involving Wills, along with four LSU Shreveport attack errors, fueled six straight LCU points before the Pilots got the match-ending point.
Aasen led Louisiana Christian against LSU Shreveport with five kills, one ace, three digs and one block assist.
Joie Goodwin and
Kourtlyn Smith added four kills apiece, while
Emma Cother distributed nine assists.
Shanoa Mitch paced the back row with eight digs, and Wills contributed three block assists as the Wildcats finished with five total blocks. LSUS recorded 32 kills, 13 aces and a .237 hitting percentage.
In the second match, Louisiana Christian built an 8-5 first-set lead over #24 Mobile (12-2) when a kill by Aasen completed the Wildcats' early push. The Rams responded with seven straight points to move in front 12-8. After LCU cut the margin to 13-10, Mobile used an 11-point run to reach set point and took the opener 25-11. Mobile then turned a 7-5 second-set margin into a 14-5 advantage on the way to a 25-7 win.
The Wildcats continued competing in the third set after falling behind 15-5. A kill by Wills started a response that included an ace and multiple kills, trimming Mobile's lead to 19-13. LCU again pulled within six at 21-15 before Mobile scored three straight points and completed the match, 25-16. Smith led the Wildcats with five kills, Cother supplied 10 assists and two aces, and Aasen collected nine digs. LCU totaled 17 kills, three aces, 35 digs and four blocks, with
Yadneli Molina adding eight digs.
The Wildcats head to San Antonio next weekend to start Red River Athletic Conference play, taking on Our Lady of the Lake. Opening serve of Friday's match against the Saints (5-9, 1-1 RRAC) is set for 6 p.m. at the Mabee Gymnasium.
