EL PASO, Texas –The reigning
, two-time Southland Conference Champion Southeastern Louisiana University volleyball team got a match-high seven kills from
Anne Brauckmiller, but the Lady Lions couldn't overcome a slow start in a 3-0 (25-10, 25-17, 25-23) loss to the University of Texas-El Paso Miners on the opening night of the Borderland Invitational Thursday night at UTEP's Memorial Gym.
UTEP scored the match's first three points and Southeastern struggled to keep contact as the Miners jumped out to an 11-5 lead. SLU scored back-to-back points on UTEP miscues to make it 11-7 before the Miners pushed the advantage back up to six points at 14-8.
Kyra McKelvey made it a five-point set again with a kill, but that would be SLU's last point before set point as UTEP went on a 10-0 run before
Hannah Brewer got an attack to fall for a kill to fight off the first set point. That would be it for the set as a Lady Lion attack error ended the set on the next rally, giving UTEP the 25-10 win to take the 1-0 lead in the match.
While the Miners opened the second set with two straight points, Southeastern had an answer as a UTEP attack error and a kill by
Keira Beverly tied things back up, starting what was a very competitive set. UTEP jumped back in front at 4-2, but SLU scored the next three to claim its first lead of the match at 5-4, a run which included kills by Beverly and
Kibi Huggins. With the Lady Lions trailing 9-8, two big plays at the net helped give Southeastern its largest lead of the set. Following a Miner service error, Beverly teamed up with
Alexis Logarbo on back-to-back rallies to block UTEP attacks back for SLU points to make it 11-9 Lady Lions. Over the next few rallies, the set score was tied six times and the lead changed hands twice, the final time of that run coming off of a Logarbo kill which put Southeastern up 17-16. However, that would be all the offense for the Lady Lions in the set as UTEP scored the final nine points of the set to win it 25-17 and take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Southeastern had its best run of the match to start the third set as a kill by Brauckmiller started a 5-1 run for the Lady Lions to kick it off, a run that included three Brauckmiller kills in it. The Lady Lions tried to keep the Miners on their backs as a kill by
Cicily Hidalgo made it 8-5 SLU. With the Lady Lions leading 9-7, the Miners went on a 6-1 run to claim the lead at 13-10. But the Lady Lions had a response, scoring the next four points as Brauckmiller scored a kill and then combined with Beverly on a block. A UTEP attack error was followed by a
Kibi Huggins kill which gave SLU the lead back at 14-13. The Miners scored five of the next six points to jump ahead, 18-15, but Southeastern battled throughout the remainder of the set. Trailing 22-19, a pair of Brauckmiller kills were sandwiched around a UTEP attack error to tie the score again at 22-22. After the Miners reclaimed the lead, Logarbo tied it back up at 23-23 with a kill. However, UTEP scored the next two points to secure the set at 25-23 and the match sweep.
Brauckmiller led the Lady Lions offense with seven kills on the evening. Logarbo had four kills in the match while Brewer, Huggins, Hidalgo, and Beverly all had three kills each. Beverly added a team-high three total blocks on the night, all assisted.
Gracie Duplechein had 12 assists to lead SLU.
Southeastern's attack is still trying to find its rhythm, ending the night with 27 kills and 26 errors on 90 total attacks for a .011 team hitting percentage while blocking back four Miner attacks for points. UTEP (3-1) ended the evening with 35 kills to 11 errors on 75 total attacks for a .320 attack percentage. The Miners also had all nine service aces in the match and blocked back 11 SLU attacks for points.
The Lady Lions (0-4) now face a preview of what could be a battle at the top of the Southland Conference when SLC play begins later this month, taking on SLC preseason favorite Stephen F. Austin on the second day of the Borderland Invitational. Opening serve of Friday's match against the Ladyjacks (5-0) is set for 3 p.m. MDT/4 p.m. CDT at UTEP's Memorial Gym. The match against SFA will no longer be televised, but live stats for the match will be available through the host institution.
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.
