Box Score
HAMMOND, La. — The Southeastern Louisiana University volleyball team took control early in a four-set, Southland Conference victory over McNeese State Thursday at the University Center.
Southeastern (5-4, 1-0 Southland) took the match, 25-18, 25-13, 19-25, 25-21, as senior
Becky Bekelja defeated her former team. Bekelja transferred to Southeastern during the summer after receiving a special waiver allowing the intra-conference move.
Falling behind, 4-3, in the first set, the Lady Lions rode the strong serving of
Megan McMillin to an 11-4 advantage.
Morgan Todd served up a couple more points, forcing the Cowgirls into taking their final timeout of the set with Southeastern up, 14-5.
McNeese State (2-9, 0-1 Southland) rallied out of the timeout, closing within four before a
Shelby Devlin kill stopped the charge.
Courtney Donald, the reigning Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week, recorded seven of her 19 kills in the first set of the match.
The Lady Lions charged out to a 9-2 advantage in the second set as
Veronica Turk recorded an early service ace. A couple of late kills by Donald and Turk helped finish off the set.
Despite the strong hitting efforts of Turk, who had five kills and a .556 attack percentage in the set, the Cowgirls fended off a late Southeastern rally to force a fourth set.
Turk's strong played continued into the fourth set as she racked up another six kills and a service ace, one of four in the match.
Donald led all players with 19 kills and six blocks while Turk chipped in 16 kills for the Lady Lions. Bekelja dished out 43 assists and added 16 digs to go with four blocks.
Megan McMillin led all players with 24 digs.
Malina Sanchez led McNeese with 11 kills while Rachel Powell contributed 33 assists to the Cowgirl offensive effort. Whitney Ellisor chipped in 21 digs.
Southeastern returns to action Saturday at 2 p.m. against Lamar (8-7, 0-1 Southland) in a conference contest at the University Center.
Southeastern La. def. McNeese State 25-18,25-13,19-25,25-21
McNeese State (2-9, 0-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Sanchez, Malina 11-0-2; Fryer, Amber 8-0-1; Cagnina, Rachel 6-0-0; Bauer, Courtni 5-0-1; Carlton, Megan 4-0-1; DeMarque, Carly 3-0-3; Powell, Rachel 1-3-1;
Totals 38-3-5.0. (Assists) - Powell, Rachel 33.
(Dig leaders) - Ellisor, Whitney 21; Patterson, Kimberlyn 11; Sanchez, Malina 11; Powell, Rachel 8
Southeastern La. (5-4, 1-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Donald, Courtney 19-0-6; Turk, Veronica 16-4-1; Devlin, Shelby 9-0-3; Grayson, Tamra 7-0-1; Bekelja, Becky 3-0-4; Young, Lindsey 1-2-1; Krohn, Cherish 0-2-0; McMillin, Megan 0-2-0;
Totals 55-10-9.0. (Assists) – Bekelja, Becky 43.
(Dig leaders) - McMillin, Megan 24; Bekelja, Becky 16
