LAFAYETTE, La. – The Little Rock volleyball team (17-11, 9-6) swept the Louisiana Ragin' Cajun (14-15, 6-9) 3-0 Friday night in Lafayette, twice beating the Ragin' Cajuns in straight sets in the same season since 2007. With the victory, Little Rock qualified for the 2018 Sun Belt Conference Tournament.
The Trojans opened the match down, but a
Sydnee Martin service aces would bring the first of three lead changes in the first match, capping a 3-0 scoring run. Louisiana would wrestle the lead back just a few points later, 5-4, keeping Little Rock at bay until another service ace, this time by
Veronica Marin, propelled Little Rock to close the match on a 5-2 run and take it 25-22.
The match's second frame was much like the first, but it included one more score tie and one more lead change. The Trojans would go down early again, two early errors swinging the score for Louisiana, but would gain control at 8-7. Little Rock kept its distance, never letting the Ragin' Cajuns come within two, and would take the set 25-20 when Louisiana committed four errors on five plays.
The final game ramped up the ties and lead changes, featuring 12 and 5, individually. Louisiana would commit four straight errors to surrender the lead 21-18 and Little Rock would power through the rest of the match, staving off a small comeback to seal the match 25-23.
Inside the Stats
- Marin recorded a game-high 10 kills, logging double-digit kills in five of the last seven games.
- Marin also hit a game-high .562 percent, the eighth outing this year with a hitting percentage of over .500 and the second time this season she's hit over .500 in back-to-back games.
- Six Trojans registered kills, Carol Barbosa and Taylor Lindberg getting nine apiece, Mya Robinson netting eight, Maritza Mesa adding four and Laura Jansen collecting three.
- Pamela Zuluaga dished out 24 helpers, handing out 20 or more in three last three consecutive matches and 13 total contests this season.
Up Next
Little Rock now travels to Monroe, La. to take on ULM tomorrow, Nov. 10, at 6:30 p.m. in the last regular season game of the 2018 season.
