LAFAYETTE, La. (9/30/22) – Three players registered double-digit kills, but the Arkansas State volleyball team could not overcome a late momentum shift, dropping a 3-1 decision at Louisiana inside Earl K. Long Gym.
A-State (5-11, 0-4 SBC) came out hot in the opening stanza to take an early one-set advantage and nearly held a two-set lead, but the Ragin' Cajuns (9-4, 3-1) closed the second with 12 consecutive points to tie it. The home squad would go onto take a tight third set before clinching the match in the fourth.
Elise Wilcox led the Red Wolves with 11 kills and a match-high four service aces to go along with a pair of blocks. Yazmyn Billings knocked down a career-high 10 kills on 16 attacks for a team-high .375 clip, while also recording three blocks. Macey Putt tallied 10 kills and a dozen digs for her fifth double-double of the year, which leads the squad.
Lauren Musante handed out 21 assists with eight digs, while Kassidy Reeves notched a double-double performance with 10 assists and a team-high 20 digs. Sarah Martinez tallied seven assists and 13 digs.
SET 1 – A-STATE 25, LOUISIANA 17
Arkansas State got off to a hot start in the first set, taking eight of the first 10 points to force an early Cajun timeout. Wilcox and Putt combined for 10 of the team's 16 first-set kills, helping A-State hit .295 in the frame. The Red Wolves never trailed, despite Louisiana cutting the deficit to 13-10 with a brief run. A 6-0 stretch pushed A-State's lead back out to 20-11 before a block by Wilcox and Billings gave the Scarlet and Black set point. After Louisiana saved a pair of set points, an attack into the net clinched the set for the Red Wolves.
SET 2 – LOUISIANA 25, A-STATE 23
The Red Wolves kept up the momentum in the second set, surging ahead to as much as a 10-point lead at 23-13 after a Billings kill. Louisiana then seized that momentum, taking 12 unanswered points to complete the comeback and tie the match at a set apiece.
SET 3 – LOUISIANA 25, A-STATE 22
Louisiana kept the streak going with the first two points of the third, but A-State halted what was a 14-0 run with a 6-0 stretch to lead 6-2 following a Wilcox ace. The Ragin' Cajuns took that lead right back with 10 consecutive points to make it 12-6. A-State chipped away throughout the set, eventually knotting it at 22-all after back-to-back Billings kills. Louisiana reclaimed momentum and took the next three points to take a 2-1 lead in the contest.
SET 4 – LOUISIANA 25, A-STATE 16
Arkansas State took an early 2-0 lead after another ace by Wilcox, but Louisiana responded with 10 of the next 12 points to lead 10-4 and force a timeout. The Red Wolves clawed back to within three on kills by Ilayda Dincer and Billings, but the Cajuns once again pushed their lead back out to nine and owned match point after a Cami Hicks kill made it 24-15. Wilcox saved a match point with a kill before the match ended on an attack error.
NEXT UP
The Red Wolves return home for four consecutive matches inside First National Bank Arena, beginning Thursday with the first of two bouts with 2021 conference champion South Alabama. First serve for Thursday's and Friday's matches is slated for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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