Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Riding several career-best performances, the Southeastern Louisiana volleyball team split a pair of matches Friday at the Memphis Invitational.

After dropping straight sets to Western Carolina (4-1) in the tournament's opening match, Southeastern (2-4) rebounded to knock off off Alabama A&M, 26-24, 29-27, 21-25, 25-20, behind the strong play of sophomores Mikayla Shippy, Tiffany Thomas and Morgan Todd.

Shippy, who averaged more than 10 assists per set on the day, dished out a career-best 42 assists against Alabama A&M (0-5).  Thomas, who tallied 18 kills (career high) and a .289 attack percentage (season high), benefited the most from Shippy passing with double-digit kills in both sets. Todd posted 23 digs, setting a new career high for the fourth consecutive match, and served up three aces.

The first three sets against the Bulldogs were back-and-forth affairs as each contained double-digit tie scores and the lead changing eight times in the first set.

Freshmen Landry Bullock (12 kills) and Rachael Bunn (10 kills) were also key offensive contributers to the Lady Lion offense. Bunn handed out a trio of assists in addition to establishing a new career high in kills.

Defensively seniors Cherish Krohn and Megan McMillin each chipped in 10 digs. McMillin is now two digs shy of becoming just the 11th player in program history to record at 1,000 digs in her career.

Earlier in the day, Southeastern fell to Western Carolina by scores of 25-17, 25-23, 25-23, with Shippy recording the first double-double (33 assists, 14 digs) of her career. Thomas led the Lady Lions with 14 kills while Todd posted 20 digs.

Southeastern returns to action Saturday at noon against host Memphis (3-1).

Western Carolina def. Southeastern Louisiana 25-17, 25-23, 25-23
Southeastern La. (1-4) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Thomas, Tiffany 14-1-1; Bunn, Rachael 8-0-5; Bullock, Landry 8-0-3; Hartley, Parrie 6-0-0; Grace, Lindsay 1-0-4; Rauch, Jessica 1-0-0; Shippy, Mikayla 1-0-1; Devlin, Shelby 1-0-1; Balser, Brooke 0-1-0; Krohn, Cherish 0-1-0; Totals 40-3-9.0. (Assists) - Shippy, Mikayla 33. (Dig leaders) – Todd, Morgan 20; Shippy, Mikayla 14

WCU (4-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Brandi Anderson 10-0-5; Caitlin Piechota 10-0-1; Addy George 6-0-2; Jordan Timmermann 5-1-1; Cristina Nazario 3-0-3; Nicole Ford 3-0-5; Leah Butler 2-0-3; Morgan Cochran 0-2-0; Totals 39-3-10.0. (Assists) - Cristina Nazario 35. (Dig leaders) - Morgan Cochran 20; Jordan Timmermann 11; Caitlin Piechota 10; Cristina Nazario 10

Site: MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Elma Roane Fieldhous)
Date: Sep 06, 2013   Attend: 43   Time: 1:21   
Referees: Malafa Tiatia, Brian Heaton



Southeastern Louisiana def. Alabama A&M 26-24, 29-27, 21-25, 25-20
Southeastern La. (2-4) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Thomas, Tiffany 18-0-0; Bullock, Landry 12-0-2; Bunn, Rachael 10-0-1; Rauch, Jessica 6-0-0; Devlin, Shelby 3-0-1; Shippy, Mikayla 3-0-0; Grace, Lindsay 2-0-1; Balser, Brooke 1-0-0; McMillin, Megan 0-1-0; Todd, Morgan 0-3-0; Totals 55-4-3.0. (Assists) - Shippy, Mikayla 42. (Dig leaders) – Todd, Morgan 23; Krohn, Cherish 10; McMillin, Megan 10; Balser, Brooke 8

AAMU (0-5) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Sales, Kyanna 15-1-1; Blackistone, Savanna 11-0-4; Ramos, Maria 9-1-3; McNeal, Ashundria 9-1-3; Ekpe, Leslie 7-0-4; Forman, Ashley 2-1-0; Hancock, Robyn 1-0-0; Totals 54-4-8.5. (Assists) - Forman, Ashley 44. (Dig leaders) – Forman, Ashley 15; Blackistone, Savanna 15; Ramos, Maria 15; Ekpe, Leslie 10; Cortez, Rebecca 9; Sales, Kyanna 9

Site: Memphis, Tenn. (Elma Roane Fieldhous)
Date: Sep 06, 2013   Attend: 45   Time: 1:53   
Referees: Malafa Tiatia, Mike Hamilton