HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana volleyball head coach Jim Smoot earned the 400th win of his career Saturday at the University Center as the Lady Lions split a pair of four-set matches with Southern to open the 2016 regular season.

The Lady Lions (1-1) powered to a win in the first match on the strength of a .218 attack percentage, but Southern's blocking schemes gave Southeastern trouble throughout the day. The Lady Jags (1-1) posted eight blocks in the first match and almost doubled the total in the second match with 14.

Southeastern's next match is Tuesday at Troy. The Lady Lions will not return to the University Center until Sept. 22 when they open Southland Conference play against Lamar.


MATCH ONE: Southeastern 3, Southern 1
Three Lady Lions recorded double-digit kills and setter Haley Baker posted a double-double as Southeastern (1-0) held off a pesky Southern (0-1) squad in the regular season opener.

Rachael Bunn, a senior from San Juan Capistrano, California, led all players with 12 kills, falling just one shy of tying her career high. Parrie Hartley, a senior from Columbus, Texas, and Savannah Alcazar, a freshman from League City, Texas, each contributed 11 kills to the Lady Lion attack. Alcazar also led Southeastern with three total blocks.

Baker, a sophomore from Elkton, Maryland, handed out 29 assists and picked up a career-high 12 digs. Eylssa Purcell, a redshirt-freshman transfer from Alvin, Texas, turned in a solid all-around effort with seven kills, 14 assists and eight digs.

Libero Monica Ramon, a sophomore from San Antonio, Texas, led the Lady Lions with 15 digs. Macey Stock, a sophomore from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, chipped in 13 digs and Madi Odom, a senior from Kingwood, Texas, also reach double digits with 12 digs.

Southeastern built a seven-point advantage in the first set before the Lady Jags came roaring back to take the lead, 21-16, on a 13-1 run. The Lady Lions fought back to tie the set on a pair of kills from Purcell before finally regaining the lead, 27-26, on yet another kill by Purcell.

Play tightened up in the second set with Southeastern's 18-14 lead marking the largest advantage either team enjoyed.

Southern went up by as much a four twice in the third set, before the Lady Lions rallied to it, 21-21, but the Lady Jags took advantage of Southeastern mistakes to claim their only set of the match.

In fourth, the Lady Lions went up by as much as five before Southern rallied to take a 13-11 lead. Teams traded points until Southeastern jumped back on top by a pair, 20-18. A pair of kills by Bunn, a service ace by Odom and finally a kill by Hartley nailed down the victory.


Southeastern La. def. Southern 28-26, 27-25, 21-25, 25-20

Southern (0-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Arabella Hall 10-3-5; Shelby Jolly 8-0-2; Paige Hall 7-0-3; Melodie Malone 7-1-2; Brianna Hawkins 5-1-2; Vaterra Calais 2-2-0; Shauntia Carr 0-0-1; Jamie Selleneit 0-1-0; Totals 39-8-8.0. (Assists) - Vaterra Calais 29. (Dig leaders) - Diamond Williams 20; Brianna Hawkins 12; Melodie Malone 9

Southeastern La. (1-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Bunn, Rachael 12-1-1; Alcazar, Savannah 11-0-3; Hartley, Parrie 11-0-1; Purcell, Elyssa 7-0-2; Holden, Chloee 7-1-0; Odom, Madi 2-4-1; Stock, Macey 1-0-0; Baker, Haley 1-1-0; Ramon, Monica 0-3-0; Totals 52-10-4.0. (Assists) - Baker, Haley 29; Purcell, Elyssa 14. (Dig leaders) - Ramon, Monica 15; Stock, Macey 13; Odom, Madi 12; Baker, Haley 12; Purcell, Elyssa 8

Site: Hammond, La. (University Center)
Date: Aug 27, 2016    Attend: 150    Time: 2:05
Referees: Angelle Simms, Scott Thompson


MATCH TWO: Southern 3, Southeastern 1
Odom turned in a career-high in both kills and digs, earning the fifth double-double of her career, but it wasn't enough to push Southeastern (1-1) to a sweep of the doubleheader against Southern (1-1). The senior tallied 14 kills and contributed 25 digs to the defensive effort.

Purcell joined Odom in picking up a double-double, the first of he career, with 11 kills and 11 assists. Baker handed out 32 assists to once again lead all players.

Ramon picked up a match-high 27 digs and Hartley joined her in double figures with 10.

Southern built a 15-8 lead in the first set before the Lady Lions embarked on a 9-1 run to take the lead. The Jags went back up by as much as four before Southeastern tied the set again, 24-24.

A similar storyline developed in the second set as Southern built an early lead, the Lady Lions rallied to take the lead, 11-10, before the Lady Jags rebounded. Southeastern took a late lead, 20-18, but again could not hold off Southern.

After taking a 3-2 lead, the Lady Lions never trailed in the third set, but Southern rallied in the final set from five-point deficit, 19-14, to win the set and salvage a split of the doubleheader.

Arabella Hall (10 kills, nine total blocks) and Shelby Jolly (nine kills) turned in key performances for the Lady Jags in the day's second match.


Southern def. Southeastern 26-24, 25-22, 19-25, 25-22

Southern (1-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Arabella Hall 10-0-9; Shelby Jolly 9-0-4; Paige Hall 7-0-4; Brianna Hawkins 6-0-5; Melodie Malone 4-1-2; Darrah Moore 2-0-2; Diamond Williams 1-1-0; Vaterra Calais 1-0-0; Jamie Selleneit 0-1-0; Mariah Clayton 0-1-0; Totals 40-4-14.0. (Assists) - Jamie Selleneit 15; Vaterra Calais 14. (Dig leaders) - Diamond Williams 18; Melodie Malone 17; Mariah Clayton 15

Southeastern La. (1-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Odom, Madi 14-2-0; Purcell, Elyssa 11-0-1; Hartley, Parrie 7-2-1; Alcazar, Savannah 6-0-0; Edo, Jodi 5-0-3; Holden, Chloee 4-0-0; Bunn, Rachael 3-0-0; Baker, Haley 1-0-1; Totals 51-4-3.0. (Assists) - Baker, Haley 32; Purcell, Elyssa 11. (Dig leaders) - Ramon, Monica 27; Odom, Madi 25; Hartley, Parrie 10; Baker, Haley 8

Site: Hammond, La. (University Center)
Date: Aug 27, 2016    Attend: 150    Time: 2:05
Referees: Scott Thompson, Angelle Simms