Red Wolves Get Past Trojans in Four Sets

JONESBORO, Ark. – After staving off rival Arkansas State with a third-set win in extra points, Little Rock volleyball fell in the fourth set and took a 3-1 loss (16-25, 19-25, 31-29, 21-25) to the Red Wolves on Monday night at the Convocation Center.
 
Marina Avram led the Trojans (6-13, 2-5 Sun Belt) with 14 kills while tallying eight digs. Mya Robinson put together her third double-double of the season with 12 kills and 17 digs. Sydnee Martin had her second consecutive match with 20-plus digs as she dug up a match-high 24. Taylor Lindberg tallied 37 assists with eight digs, three block assists and two kills. Daisha Gillard led the Trojans with a team-high .286 hitting percentage as she tied a career high with nine kills while racking up three total blocks (two solo and one assisted).
 
Drew Jones led the Red Wolves (11-9, 4-3 Sun Belt) with 18 kills and a .295 hitting percentage while Ellie Watkins put up 41 assists. Kenzie Fields led the Red Wolves with 22 digs, and Timber Terrell led the match with five total blocks.
 
The Red Wolves took the first set by nine points after hitting .310 with 14 kills. Little Rock hit just .067 with 10 kills and eight attack errors on 30 swings. After a 6-6 tie, the Red Wolves led for the rest of the set. Mesa and Avram each put down three kills while Martin led the set with four digs.
 
Down 12-7 to begin the second set, Little Rock battled back to tie the frame at 16. After the tie, Arkansas State took control of the set and ended the frame on a 9-3 run. Neither side hit well as the Red Wolves only hit .081 while the Trojans hit .026.
 
Things finally went Little Rock's way in the third set as the Trojans staved off the Red Wolves in extra points. A-State had three match points, but Little Rock kept clawing to stay alive.  After the Red Wolves' failed to win the match on their final match point of the set at 26-25, the two sides were neck and neck until tying for the final time at 29. Avram then put down back-to-back kills to give Little Rock the set win. Little Rock hit a match-high .283 for the set.
 
The Trojans' momentum from the third-set win carried over to the fourth as Little Rock took its largest lead of the match at 11-7. However, the lead was short-lived as A-State came storming back with an 8-1 run to take a 15-12 lead. Both squads tied for the final time at 19 before the Red Wolves ended the match on a 6-2 run. Martin dug up 12 of her 24 total digs in the fourth set alone.
 
Maritza Mesa ended the match with nine kills, seven digs and two total blocks. Veronica Marin finished up with seven kills, seven digs and three block assists.
 
Little Rock will return to the Jack Stephens Center to face division-leader Louisiana on Friday night at 6:30. The Trojans will host their annual Dig Pink match against the Ragin Cajuns.