Box Score Box Score
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana sophomore
Arianne Cruckshank posted a double-double with a season-high 47 assists and 20 digs, but Stephen F. Austin answered with a balanced attack, sending the Lady Lions to a 31-29, 25-21, 20-25, 25-20 defeat in Southland Conference volleyball action Saturday afternoon in the University Center.
The Lady Lions fell to 6-10 overall and 2-3 in Southland Conference play with the loss, while Stephen F. Austin bounced back from a marathon five-set loss at Nicholls State on Friday night to improve to 14-9 overall and 3-2 in league action.
Senior
Jessica Srajer was the lone Lady Lion with double digit kills, finishing with a match-high 13 kills, while senior
Lauren Mayer and junior
Allison Jones added eight kills apiece. Junior
Alex Greer recorded a season-high 26 digs, while Mayer added 19 digs and junior
Kalynn Evans chipped in with 10 digs.
Stephen F. Austin had four student-athletes with double-digit kills. Amber Roberts-Williams and Ashley Bailey led the way with 12 kills each, while Mary Caitlin Bottles and Kelsey Owens finished with 11 kills apiece. After setter Laurel Kuepker left with an injury early in the first set, Paloma Buckner took over and finished with 45 assists per set.
Defensively, Williams-Roberts and Madison Hanlan contributed 19 digs apiece, while Melissa Miksch was credited with 15 digs. SFA also had 12 total blocks, as Bailey had two solo blocks and six block assists.
The first set was the match's most competitive, as the two teams traded the lead three times and the set featured nine ties. Srajer had seven kills in the opening set, but SFA fought off four set points to take the opening set, 31-29.
SFA took advantage of a -.053 hitting percentage in the second set to go into the break up, two sets to none. Southeastern bounced back with an impressive third set, hitting .262 and getting four kills each by Srajer and Jones to extend the match to a fourth set.
In the fourth set, however, SFA rolled to a 12-5 lead to open the set. A Mayer kill cut the lead to 19-18 late in the set, but consecutive kills by Williams-Roberts clinched the win for the Ladyjacks.
