HAMMOND, La. – In its final tune-up before the upcoming regular season opener, the Southeastern Louisiana University volleyball team earned a 3-1 exhibition victory over ULM, 25-20, 22-25, 25-20, 25-21 Saturday afternoon at the University Center.
 
SLU was led by reigning Southland Conference, Louisiana and AVCA South Region Freshman of the Year Cicily Hidalgo, who finished with 14 kills to go with 12 digs in a double-double effort. Hidalgo's fellow All-Southland teammate Karlee Wilkerson contributed 12 kills of her own for the Lady Lions.
 
Southeastern hit .233 for the match, as Crispin Adams (8 kills, .615 attack percentage), Hannah Brewer (7, .462), Kenzie Smith (8, .368) and Jolie Hidalgo (4, .375) were all efficient in Saturday's win. Gracie Duplechin and Peyton Stokely split setting duties for SLU, finishing with 29 and 20 assists, respectively.
 
Brewer also added a match-high seven blocks to lead the Southeastern defensive effort. Ansley Tullis finished with 16 digs to lead three Lady Lions in double figures along with Cicily Hidalgo and Duplechin (11).
 
"We came out and played really clean in the opening set," Southeastern head coach Jeremy White said. "We have to continue to work on our blocking and stopping people. We bounced back after the second set and started scoring at a high clip, which is what we're going to need to do in conference."
 
Several individuals garnered praise from White following the win.
 
"Cicily's a phenomenal athlete and player," White commented. "Both of our setters did a great job keeping us rolling. Ansley (Tullis) is just always so solid for us. But overall, our player of the game would have to go to Hannah Brewer."
 
Madeline Williams and Madeline Villarreal led ULM with 10 kills apiece, while Bailey Roberson and Mariana Volponi e Giordan each posted 13 assists. Taylor Thomas was credited with a match-high 18 digs.
 
SLU jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the opening set and never looked back on the way to a 25-20 set victory behind four kills apiece from Adams, Wilkerson and Cicily Hidalgo. ULM evened the match thanks to a .306 hitting percentage in the second set on the way to taking it, 25-22.  
 
Southeastern took the lead for good in the third set, as Smith ripped off three kills to account for the final points in a 25-20 set win. Cicily Hidalgo's three kills and five digs paced the SLU effort in the deciding fourth set.  
 
The season officially opens Friday with SLU facing Tulane (1 p.m.) and Prairie View (4 p.m.) on the opening day of the Katrinka Crawford Invitational in Beaumont, Texas.
 
Hammond will also serve as the host for the 2022 Southland Conference Tournament, set for Nov. 17-20.
 
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.