Billikens Outlast Trojans in Four Sets

ST. LOUIS – A close match throughout, Little Rock volleyball fell 3-1 (21-25, 25-20, 21-25, 23-25) to Saint Louis on Saturday afternoon at Chaifetz Pavilion.
 
Marina Avram recorded her third double-double of the season for the Trojans (4-7) as she put down a season-high 15 kills and 14 digs. She tied her season high for aces with four and hit .302. Veronica Marin led the Trojans with a .478 hitting percentage as she put down 11 kills with six total blocks (one solo and five assisted) and two aces. Mya Robinson came up a kill shy of a double-double with nine kills and 10 digs. Taylor Lindberg had a match-high 38 assists, with two kills and four block assists. Sydnee Martin dug up 14 digs.
 
Maya Taylor and Monica Loftus each put down 16 kills for the Billikens (2-10) while Loftus hit a match-high .652 on 23 swings.
 
With a 20-18 lead in the first set, Little Rock allowed Saint Louis to come from behind to take the frame with a 7-1 run. Robinson led the Trojans with five kills on 10 attempts and five digs. Marin put down four kills on seven attempts to hit .571. Little Rock led the block battle at 2-1.
 
Tied at 19 in the second frame, Little Rock powered its way to a five-point win thanks to a 6-1 run. The Trojans hit .250 for the set as the Billikens hit a flat .000. Avram had a set-high six kills on 11 attempts with no errors while Martin led the set with six digs.
 
After a tie at 9-9 in the third set, Saint Louis went on to lead the rest of the frame as it took its largest lead at 15-10. The Trojans brought the deficit down to two at 15-13, but they got no closer as the Billikens went on to win the set by four. Avram led Little Rock with four kills on 11 attempts with one error.
 
Little Rock nearly produced a comeback win in the fourth set. The Trojans trailed by as many as six points at five different points in the set with the last occurring at 23-17. That's when Little Rock stormed back with a 6-1 run to make it a one-point set at 24-23. However, a final kill by SLU's Taylor sealed the match for the Billikens. Little Rock outhit Saint Louis by a margin of .289-.262 in the final frame.
 
Maritza Mesa ended the match with five kills, five digs and four block assists. Daisha Gillard and Belissa Guidotti each put down three kills and three total blocks. Nedima Kamberovic tallied two kills, and Kassidy Hopkins had four digs.
 
Little Rock had the advantage in hitting percentage (.277-.261) and blocks (12-5), but Saint Louis had more kills (60-50), assists (56-45) and digs (66-49).
 
The Trojans will wrap up the Billiken Invitational against DePaul at 4:30 p.m.