BEAUMONT, Texas – In a matchup of a pair of 2-0 teams, Southeastern Louisiana University outlasted Idaho State, 25-17, 25-18, 17-25, 30-28, in nonconference volleyball action on the final day of the Katrinka Crawford Invitational Saturday afternoon at McDonald Gym.
The last two Southland Conference Freshmen of the Year -
Kailin Newsome and
Cicily Hidalgo – each finished with a match-high 17 kills for the victors, as Southeastern (3-0) finished with a .297 hitting percentage for the match.
Hidalgo (11 digs), Gracie Duplechin (26 assists, 10 digs) and
Ansley Tullis (team-high 15 digs, 10 assists) all posted double-doubles to help SLU hand Idaho State (2-1) its first loss of the tournament.
Peyton Stokley added 21 assists in sharing setting duties with Duplechein, while
Crispin Adams contributed a team-high four blocks.
Karlee Wilkerson joined Newsome and Hidalgo in double-digit kill totals with 11. Both Hidalgo (.361) and Wilkerson (.333) continued their efficient hitting percentage trend to open the season.
SLU jumped out to a 1-0 lead with an efficient opening set. The Lady Lions hit .464 in the first stanza on the way to a 25-17 victory.
The second set was more of the same for Southeastern. SLU posted a .455 hitting percentage in a 25-18 second set to take a 2-0 advantage.
Idaho State answered in the third set, avoiding the sweep with a 25-17 set win. The Lady Lions hot offensive production cooled off in set three, as Southeastern had six attack errors after only posting a combined four through the opening two sets.
The fourth set was the most competitive of the match, as neither team led by more than three points in a set that featured 17 ties and four lead changes. A game Idaho State squad fought off five match points before SLU broke a 28-28 tie with back-to-back kills by Hidalgo and Wilkerson to clinch the victory.
Southeastern will be back in action Tuesday, opening the home portion of its schedule with a 6 p.m. contest versus Jackson State. The match will be televised on ESPN+ and live stats will be available at
www.LionSports.net.
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.
