CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – There was no stopping Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Thursday night in Dugan Wellness Center as the Islanders got rolling early and romped to another sweep, downing Southland Conference foe Southeastern Louisiana 25-18, 25-14, 25-14.
Brittany Gilpin and Ivy Baresh drove an attack that hit .359 on the day, setting a new season high for single-match hitting percentage. Gilpin churned out nine kills in 18 total attacks to hit an impressive .500, while Baresh knocked down a team-best 11 kills. Both were locked in and helped the Islanders feed off the early momentum.
"I'm one of those players that just wants to get out there and fall right into the game," said Gilpin, who led the Islanders with five first-set kills. "You could tell the whole team was very focused on the offensive side tonight and it carried us until the block came along."
It wasn't just Gilpin and Baresh who found a groove offensively as the strong hitting was infectious for A&M-Corpus Christi (13-4, 2-0). Madeleine Doud and Morgan Carlson each piled up six kills apiece while Kirstee McGarva produced another five.
"It took just a bit to get going in the first set but once we found our system, we were locked in offensively," said head coach Tony Graystone. "There's a few things we need to remember and go over before Saturday, but overall we played very solid.
"Ivy and Brittany were awesome to watch tonight. Ivy just has that mode, and when she's in it, she so fun to watch. You can see her thinking about where she's going to hit every shot before she even jumps."
PINPOINT ATTACK
Just weeks after recording a .355 hitting percentage against Texas-Rio Grande Valley, the Islanders outdid themselves with the .359 performance Thursday night. Five Islanders hit better than .355 as individuals with Kristyn Nicholson turning in a whopping .545 by knocking six of her 11 attacks for kills.
Nicholson also played conductor for the Islanders' sensational offense, earning herself 33 assists on the night.
ON THE FRONT FOOT
In the three-set match, the Islanders trailed only once by a single point. At 2-3 in the second set, Southeastern Louisiana (6-8, 0-1) held its only lead of the match, but a service error followed by a Kirstee McGarva kill quickly put the Islanders back in front.
THE DEFENSE RESPONDS
The offensive fireworks gave the Islanders plenty of time to establish the block, which seized full control of the match for the blue and green. The Islanders finished the night with six blocks, including five block assists for Gilpin and a solo stuff for Doud.
A&M-Corpus Christi held the Lions to just .081 hitting and forced 18 errors from Southeastern Louisiana. The .081 hitting percentage marks the second consecutive match the Islanders have held an opponent to under .100 on the attack.
UP NEXT
With the victory, the Islanders maintain their place atop the Southland Conference and stretch the program's best start in school history to a 13-4 mark. A&M-Corpus Christi will welcome the Privateers of New Orleans on Saturday afternoon for a 1 p.m. match inside of Dugan Wellness Center.
For more information on the Islanders volleyball team throughout the season, check them out on Twitter (@IslandersVB) and on their Facebook page (Islanders Volleyball), and download the official Islanders Front Row app for scores, updates, live stats and live video of all Islanders events.
