EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. — Behind a career-high 11 blocks from senior captain
Jaycee Kennedy, plus a balanced scoring attack including four players with at least 11 kills, Little Rock took the second game at SIUE on Saturday and remained unbeaten in conference play, winning by scores of 18-25, 25-18, 25-20, and 28-26, at First Community Arena.
The Trojans improved to 11-7 overall and 6-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference while SIUE fell to 9-9 and 4-3. Little Rock had its streak of 14 consecutive set wins snapped in the opening frame, thanks to a slow start that saw the Trojans hit just .086 in the first set. But Little Rock cleaned it up quickly and attacked better than .280 in each of the following three sets, finishing at .242 for the match.
"I'm very proud of our team tonight … they came out slow but responded well, and in the fourth, being down 23-21 and coming back to win, that shows a lot of determination and growth. We work on that in practice, but we just haven't been in that real scenario yet. But to see it today shows me that we've turned a corner for the rest of the season," head coach
Van Compton said. "It's tough to win back-to-back road games in 24 hours, and now we have to go out and do it again next weekend. Our schedule is only getting harder, but if we can continue to grow, we have what it takes to keep winning."
A'lanae Margaritha led Little Rock in points with 16.5 behind an all-around effort, including 11 kills, four aces, and three blocks.
Crismeyli Rodriguez had a team-high 14 kills and finished off a double-double with 17 assists.
Bella Cherry (11 kills, seven digs) and
Vivian Lucumi (11 kills, four blocks) solidified the offensive effort.
Dariana Valencia (28 assists, seven digs) and
Kaylee Smith (21 assists, seven digs) were pivotal on both sides of the ball. Kennedy surpassed her previous best of 10 blocks with 10 assists and one solo.
Sophia Garrido, Cherry, and Rodriguez each had three.
Little Rock will be on the road again next weekend (Oct. 17-18) to take on Southern Indiana in Evansville, Indiana.
For the latest information on Little Rock Volleyball, check out LRTrojans.com. You can also follow the team on social media at @LittleRockVB on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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