STARKVILLE, Miss. – The Southeastern Louisiana University volleyball program dropped its final match in the StarkVegas Classic to host Mississippi State, 25-8, 25-15, 18-25, 25-21, Saturday at the Newell-Grissom Building.
 
Mississippi State (3-0) controlled the match against the Lady Lions (0-2) from the outset, scoring the first five points in the initial set.
 
The Bulldogs, who swept a pair of three-set matches against Gonzaga in the tournament, wiped out an early SLU advantage in the second set as they jumped out to a two-set advantage on the strength of a combined .400 attack percentage.
 
Southeastern bounced back in the third set, quelling the Bulldogs offensive fire and jumpstarting their own. Karlee Wilkerson, a senior from Springfield, Louisiana, recorded four of her six kills in the third set to lead the way. Cicily and Jolie Hidalgo both contributed three kills in the set.
 
Jolie Hidalgo added three more kills in the fourth set, but it was not enough to help the Lady Lions even up the match.
 
Cicily Hidalgo, a freshman from Opelousas, Louisiana, led SLU with 10 kills overall. Addie Vidrine, a junior from Lafayette, Louisiana, added seven while Wilkerson and Jolie Hidalgo finished with six apiece.
 
Gracie Duplechein, a freshman from St. Amant, Louisiana, handed out a team-high 15 assists and served up a pair of aces. Ariana Hebert dished out another 14 for the Lady Lions.
 
India Bennett, a freshman middle blocker from Prairieville, Louisiana, had a hand in six of Southeastern's seven team blocks while sophomore libero Ansley Tullis led the squad with 16 digs and chipped in a pair of service aces.
 
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
The All-Tournament team for the StarkVegas Classic included Southeastern's Crispin Adams and Cicily Hidalgo along with Mississippi State's Lauren Myrick (MVP), Lilly Gunter and Gabby Warden, and Gonzaga's Cara McKenzie and McKena Marshall.
 
Hidalgo led SLU this weekend with 21.0 total points on 19 kills and four block assists. Adams was right on her heels, picking up 20.5 points on 15 kills, three service aces, one solo block and three block assists.
 
UP NEXT
SLU opens the home portion of its 2021 schedule by hosting the Southeastern Showdown, Sept. 3-4, at the University Center. Joining the Lady Lions in the two-day event are Auburn, Cal State Fullerton and Southern.
 
Action begins at 10 a.m., Sept. 3, as Auburn and Southern square off. Other matches on day 1 include SLU vs. Cal State Fullerton at 12:30 p.m., Southern vs. Cal State Fullerton at 4:30 p.m. and SLU vs. Auburn at 7 p.m.
 
The Southeastern Showdown wraps up with a pair of matches on Sept. 4, Auburn vs. Cal State Fullerton at 11 a.m. and SLU vs. Southern at 1:30 p.m.
 
Admission to all matches is free and fans are asked to enter the building upstairs through Gate 3. University policy requires individuals to wear a face covering over both their nose and mouth while indoors. If possible, fans are also asked to practice proper social distancing techniques and wash their hands frequently. Hand sanitizing stations are located throughout Southeastern's athletic facilities.
 
DIGGIN' IT CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the Southeastern volleyball program are encouraged to join the Diggin' It Club. Lion volleyball alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Diggin' It Club and S Club (volleyball) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern volleyball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Lady Lions Volleyball, follow @LionUpVB or @JWhiteSLU on Twitter, @LionUpVB on Instagram, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.