Trojans top SIUE in straight sets to set up 'win and in' regular season finale

The Little Rock volleyball team entered Wednesday needing two wins in their final regular season series against SIUE to earn the eighth and final seed in the upcoming OVC Championships. Phase One is complete. The Trojans swept the Cougars in straight sets at the Jack Stephens Center by scores of 25-17, 25-23 and 25-21, setting up a winner take all match Thursday evening. The teams will meet tomorrow evening at 6 pm in a match that can be streamed live on ESPN+.

BOX SCORE
 
Little Rock (10-18, 7-10 OVC) hit a season-best .318 – the first time the Trojans have reached .300 all year – and have now won three consecutive matches for the first time since Sept. 8. Little Rock hit .467 in the first set and .407 in the closing third set for an all-around impressive against the Cougars (13-15, 7-10).
 
Bella Cherry posted 13 kills for the third straight contest, hitting .320 in the process, Daedrianna Cail had eight kills on .583 hitting to go with four blocks, and Jaycee Kennedy set a new career-high with six blocks. Dariana Valencia (20 assists), Andrea Roman (15 digs) and Kaylee Smith (12 assists) all reached double figures.
 
Little Rock never trailed in the opening set, jumping out to a 4-0 lead that grew to as much as 20-12. Cail hammered down a kill to close out the set and give the Trojans the early lead. Cherry had six blocks in the set and Kennedy stifled SIUE with four of her six blocks.
 
The second set was much of the same as the Trojans led 10-5, then went ahead by an 18-12 score before SIUE put together a 10-2 run to take a 22-20 advantage. Daria Burrows had a kills and a service ace in a string of four straight Little Rock points to regain the lead at 24-22 and Kennedy combined with Jeila Fullerton on a block to close out the set.
 
In the final set, the teams traded blows all the way to a 14-14 score until Little Rock strung out a 7-2 run for a 21-16 advantage. Cherry, Cail and Sophia Garrido all had kills in the final sequence to finish off the Cougars in straight sets. Cherry hit .500 in the clinching set.
 
Little Rock will recognize its seniors prior to Thursday's match. The winner of the contest will open the OVC Championships next Monday against Eastern Illinois, who has clinched the outright regular season title and the right to host the conference tournament.