Stephen F. Austin
Southeastern Louisiana
Ladyjacks Remain Unbeaten In SLC With Win Over SE Louisiana
10/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 11, 2008
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Ladyjack volleyball team ran its win streak to 12 in a row with a 3-1 (25-21, 25-14, 27-29, 25-18) win over Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday, remaining unbeaten in Southland Conference play through five matches.
SFA (14-3, 5-0) put three players in double-figure kills, with Lauren Railey leading the way with a match-high 16. The Ladyjacks hit .348 against the Lady Lions (7-8, 1-4), continuing a trend of efficient hitting for Debbie Humphreys' team. Since starting their win streak against SMU on Sept. 6, they have not hit under .204 in any match and over .250 in seven of those matches.
The Ladyjacks hit .314 in the first set, its lowest output on the afternoon in a single set but still had plenty of firepower behind six of Ashley Bailey's 12 kills on the afternoon in notching a four-point win in the opening set.
Set two was all SFA from the outset as the Ladyjacks raced out to an 11-2 lead and never looked back on their way to taking a 2-0 lead into the locker room. This time Kelsey Owens had the hot hand, not misfiring a single time in the second set for the second consecutive night en route to seven of her season-high 15 kills. Since entering into conference play Owens has elevated her game, averaging 2.78 kills and hitting at a .300 clip in five SLC contests.
It looked as though a third straight sweep was in line for the Ladyjacks coming into the third set, but the Lady Lions had other ideas. SE Louisiana hit .333 and held off two match points in the third frame to pick up a set against the Ladyjacks for the first time in five matches against SFA dating back to 2005.
But that was as close as SE Louisiana would get as SFA followed Railey's five-kill lead in the fourth and final set, rejecting five shots along the way to close things out.
Along with landing three in double-figure kills, the Ladyjacks outblocked the Lady Lions 10-4 on the night despite SE Louisiana coming into the weekend leading the conference in team blocks. Owens led the way with four, including a pair of solo blocks, while MC Bottles and Ashley Bailey combined for seven block assists of their own.
Whitney Schott continued her pursuit of the top assist spot in the SLC, doling out 47 assist in the four-set affair. Laurel Kuepker led all players in digs with 24 on the afternoon.
SFA hosts Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. before heading to UT-San Antonio for a weekend tilt with the SLC West-leading Roadrunners.
-SFA-
