LAFAYETTE (Press Release) – In convincing fashion the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Volleyball team posted a straight sets sweep of Lamar (25-12, 25-14, 25-13) in the second match of Saturday’s doubleheader at Earl K. Long Gym.
The Ragin’ Cajuns (6-0) fired off a season-high .383 hitting percentage (42 K, 6 E, 94 TA) and held the Cardinals (0-5) below 15 points in every set on the way to remaining undefeated in the 2020 season and extending the program’s best start since the 2014 team won its first 10 matches.
The dominant showing capped off a doubleheader sweep for Louisiana. Earlier in the day, the combination of Hali Wisnoskie’s 15 kills and Kelsey Bennett’s season-high 13 kills powered a straight sets sweep of Lamar.
A balanced effort of four players producing at least eight kills added to the overwhelming surge the Ragin’ Cajuns unleashed on the visiting Cardinals.
Louisiana was nearly flawless in the first and third frame, committing no more than two attack errors, and wound up with only six attack errors the entire match.
A 10-4 advantage to start each of the three sets had the Ragin’ Cajuns in cruise control each frame. In the first and last set, Louisiana’s lead was in double figures before Lamar tallied its 10th point.
The sweep extended Louisiana's streak of consecutive sets won to 15 straight, which began following an opening-set loss to Houston Baptist on Sept. 5.
LEADING THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS
Bennett and Tia Jade Smith tallied nine kills each and they were closely followed by Wisnoskie and Taylor Gates who each produced eight. The group’s efforts led Louisiana to a 42-22 advantage in kills.
Smith (9 K, 1 E, 15 TA) and Gates (8 K, 0 E, 14 TA) needed 15 or fewer swings to reach their tally. They were joined by Kara Barnes (5 K, 0 E, 9 TA) in hitting .500-plus for the contest.
Barnes was dominant at the net again, posting four blocks for the second time in the doubleheader.
Louisiana’s service game was on point as evident by a season-high nine aces. Three players tailed multiple aces led by three from Avery Breaux.
Hannah Ramirez led the way in digs with 18 scoops which moved her season total past the century mark (now at 101). She’s now hit double figures in 18 straight matches dating back to last Oct. 11.
Breaux added 11 digs to her stat line that featured 35 assists, for her third double-double of the season. The senior setter pushed her day’s total to 77 assists for an average of 12.83 per set, giving her an average of 11-plus per set for the third straight week.
Bennett notched a second match of double-digit digs with 10, and Brianna Franklin supplied six digs during her time on the back row which allowed Wisnoskie to gain some rest.
UP NEXT
Louisiana embarks on Sun Belt Conference play, and travels for the first time in the 2020 season, when the squad visits Little Rock for a three-match series Friday-Saturday, Sept. 25-26.
Match times at the Jack Stephens Center are scheduled for 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Friday, followed by the series finale at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
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