Box Score
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Using one of its best defensive efforts of the season Saturday, the Southeastern Louisiana volleyball team knocked off Stephen F. Austin in a Southland Conference contest for the first time since 2003.
Southeastern (7-12, 2-7 Southland), which defeated SFA for just the third time in the history of the series, took the match by scores of 15-25, 25-21, 25-18, 21-25, 17-15.
Cherish Krohn (19 digs) and
Katie Garrity (18 digs) established career highs, and
Becky Bekelja established a season high in digs (18) on the way to recording her second consecutive double-double (53 assists).
The Lady Lions tied a season best with 15 team blocks while holding Stephen F. Austin to an .071 attack percentage.
Southeastern struggled offensively in the first set (.000 attack perentage). The Ladyjacks quickly built a 7-3 lead and Southeastern called its first timeout. The Lady Lions closed within a pair, but SFA (15-7, 6-4 Southland) built the lead to eight before Southeastern called its second and final timeout of the set.
Rebounding in the second set, Southeastern overcame a 6-1 deficit to even the match. A pair of kills by both
Tamra Grayson and
Mikayla Shippy helped the Lady Lions climb back in the right direction. After taking the lead, a pair of kills from both
Courtney Donald and Krohn helped seal the decision.
Southeastern jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the third set on the strength
Veronica Turk's serving. Rattling off six points in a row, a service error ended the string. SFA closed within three points, but Southeastern sprinted to the finish as the Ladyjacks hit negative for the second-consecutive set.
The fourth set went back-and-forth, alternating leads and tie scores up to 14-14. Sabrina Burns led the comeback for SFA with seven kills in the set.
A tense fifth set contained 11 tie scores, but just one lead change. The Lady Lions took the lead, 11-10, and fought off an SFA charge. Twice the Ladyjacks tied the score on match point, but kills by Shippy and
Shelby Devlin sealed the conference victory.
Donald (20 kills, eight total blocks) recorded at least 20 kills for the third time this season. Grayson, the only other Lady Lion in double-digits, established a career high with 12 kills. Devlin (five total blocks) and Turk (six total blocks), both freshman, added nine kills each. The 53 assists by Bekelja set a new season-high for the senior transfer.
Krohn, Bekelja, Garrity and
Megan McMillin (14 digs) all posted double-digit digs.
Southeastern wraps up a three-match, Southland Conference road trip Tuesday at McNeese State.
Southeastern La. def. Stephen F. Austin 15-25, 25-21, 25-18, 21-25, 17-15
Southeastern La. (7-12, 2-7 SLC) (Kills-aces-blocks) – Donald, Courtney 20-0-8; Grayson, Tamra 12-0-2; Turk, Veronica 9-1-6; Devlin, Shelby 9-0-5; Shippy, Mikayla 7-0-2; Bekelja, Becky 2-0-3; Rauch, Jessica 2-0-0; Krohn, Cherish 2-0-0; Balser, Brooke 0-1-0;
Totals 63-2-15.0. (Assists) - Bekelja, Becky 53.
(Dig leaders) – Krohn, Cherish 19; Garrity, Katie 18; Bekelja, Becky 18; McMillin, Megan 14; Buckner, Taylor 9
Stephen F. Austin (15-7, 6-4 SLC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Burns, Sabrina 3-0-6; Ivy, Jill 12-0-4; Randall, Katzy 9-0-1; Bates, Tori 6-0-4; Leslie, Cara 3-0-4; Allen, Jacque 2-0-2; Holland, Paige 1-1-1; Hill, Janet 0-1-0; Hanlan, Madison 0-2-0;
Totals 46-4-11.5. (Assists) - Holland, Paige 37.
(Dig leaders) - Hanlan, Madison 19; Randall, Katzy 17; Bates, Tori 14; Holland, Paige 9
