HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Northwestern State volleyball team competed well, but ultimately dropped a pair of matches to wrap up the Golden Eagle Classic, falling 3-0 to Southern Miss and Grambling on Saturday afternoon.
The Demons (1-13) started well in both matches, but were doomed by late runs in sets, falling 25-19, 25-22 and 25-12 to USM (7-3) and 25-20, 25-20, 26-24 to Grambling (1-8).
In the second match against Grambling, NSU led 18-17 and had confidence following an attack error from Morgan Munrow, but Grambling fought back, finishing the set on an 8-2 run.
NSU tried to crawl back in the second set after being down 24-15, thwarting off five set points, but couldn't complete the comeback after Ra'Niya Brown's kill finished off a 25-20 set.
The third set looked like it might go NSU's way, as the Demons scored seven straight points to turn a 13-11 deficit into an 18-13 lead, highlighted by three aces by
Jade Longlad.
Following three consecutive points by Grambling, NSU fought right back with three straight, beginning with kills by
Samaya Wesson and
Deja Benjamin, to make it 21-16.
A Grambling run cut into the Demons advantage again, but a Wesson kill and Melis Ozipek ace put NSU on the brink of closing the set out, leading 23-20. But Grambling fought back, scoring six of the match's final seven points to close the match, three of which were kills by Avri Solik-Fifarek.
Grambling had 42 kills compared to NSU's 28 with Wesson, Benjamin and
Makenna Tryon each recording seven. Longlad had 13 assists and
Reagan Hamm recorded 12.
Olivia Bush had four kills and six digs for the Demons.
"Olivia got her first couple points of the year," head coach
Ben Kaszeta said. "She was a shining moment of very few this weekend. When we learn how to put pressure on the other side of the net, good things will happen. We have lots to focus in this week before conference opener."
Against USM, the Demons started the match nicely as they had a 15-11 lead in the opening set followed by an ace by
Harper Cauley. After USM rallied to take a 17-15 lead, the Demons pushed back in front 18-17 after an ace by
Emmarie McFarland. However, the Golden Eagles scored eight of the last nine points of the set to take the opening frame.
In the second set, the Demons came out strong again as they had a 17-14 lead following an ace by
Makenna Tryon. However, the Golden Eagles scored five straight points to take the advantage as the kept the Demons at arm's length for the remainder of the set.
The Golden Eagles controlled the third set from the outset, getting out to a 16-7 lead and never looking back on their way to the win.
USM finished the match with 44 kills to 28 for the Demons. NSU was led by Wesson with 10 kills. Longlad finished with 13 assists while Hamm had 12. McFarland had nine digs to aid the defense.
NSU jumps into Southland Conference play next, as it hosts UIW on Thursday, beginning a home weekend. The match starts at 6:30 p.m.
