Box Score

Box Score

HAMMOND – Southeastern started strong Thursday en route to its first Southland Conference victory of the season.

Kinsey Williams finished with a team-leading 10 kills as Southeastern knocked off Lamar, 25-17, 25-21, 15-25, 25-18.

Tamra Grayson tallied nine kills and Paige Dollison added eight for the Lady Lions. Dollison also contributed on three blocks.

Southeastern (5-23, 1-10 Southland) scored the first nine points of the night – eight off Megan McMillin serves. Lamar rattled off three points in a row before the Lady Lions pushed their lead to 19-5. The Lady Cardinals managed to shave just two points off the Southeastern lead.

In the second set, Southeastern rolled to an early 8-2 lead. A run by Lamar brought the score within one, 13-12. The Lady Lions used kills by Elizabeth Ramee and Grayson to fend off the Lamar attack. After a kill by Wendy Krell brought Lamar back within a pair, 23-21, Southeastern took advantage of a pair of Lady Cardinal errors to finish off the set.

The Lady Lions took the lead for the third set in a row, but couldn't hang on for the sweep. Lamar rolled behind the hitting of Sierra Whitaker and Christina Hobbs. Whitaker recorded five of her match-high 16 kills in the third set.

Lamar carried some of its new-found momentum into the fourth set, but the Lady Lions took the lead for good off a pair of kills by Dollison. Southeastern went up 10-9 and never looked back as Williams, Dollison and Courtney Donald provided a solid attack down the stretch.

The Lady Cardinals (7-19, 5-6 Southland) were lead by Whittaker (16 kills) and Hobbs (10 kills). Alex Morford finished with a double-double (45 assists, 10 digs) and Cynthia McCollum recorded 21 digs for Lamar.

Southeastern snapped a 24-match conference losing streak dating to a Sept. 23, 2010, victory against McNeese State. The Cowgirls travel to Hammond Saturday to face Southeastern in a Southland Conference contest at the University Center.