NEW ORLEANS, La. – Getting back into the win column for its final road SLC match of the year, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi volleyball team topped New Orleans 3-0 Saturday in the Human Performances Center.
A&M-Corpus Christi (19-9, 14-2 SLC) got out to a slow start after going down 8-3 early, but finally picked up its momentum to reverse the score late 18-17 and finish atop the first set 25-20 over New Orleans (6-21, 4-12 SLC). Sets two and three featured a more settled Islanders team as they won them 25-14, 25-17 for the match win and season sweep over the Privateers.
It got the Islanders back in the win column, after their 12-match winning streak was snapped on Thursday. It marked A&M-Corpus Christi's final match to be played on the road this year, finishing with a league-best 8-1 away record against Southland opponents.
"I'm really proud of our turnaround as a team and playing so well today," said head coach
Steve Greene. "We did a great job with our attention to detail and defensive efforts throughout but specifically in set three. The ability to make changes mid match is key to being successful, and we did great staying within our game and adapting to changes from New Orleans the whole match."
Five Islanders nailed a trio of kills in the first set alone. Junior
Kyndal Payne ended with a match-leading 11 kills for a .429 individual hitting percentage. It was the nth time this season she hit above .400 with double figure kills. Junior
Leah Stolfus also hit in double digits with 10 kills for a .320 mark.
Sophomore
Tayah Little converted on nine of her 15 attempts, going without error for a .600 attack percentage. Graduate
Belle Morgan also went without error for a .667 clip after registering six kills herself in addition to her 32 assists to run the offense to a .287 team efficiency.
"Tayah had an outstanding match and was hitting and blocking with utmost confidence," Greene said.
Morgan has led 15 of the 16 conference matches in assists this year. She has led every conference match in assists when she records at least 30.
The defense got back to holding their opponent to under a .200 hitting percentage, keeping New Orleans to just a .152 mark. The Islanders have held Southland opponents to under .200 eleven times this year.
Sophomore
Zoria Heard led the match with 13 digs. Her four service aces tied her career-best which was first set earlier this season at Texas A&M-Commerce. Payne trailed with 11 digs for her seventh double-double of the year. Junior
Kayla White also picked up double figure digs with 10.
Stolfus blocked the Privateers three times, a team high. She has registered at least a trio of blocks four times in conference play this year and three times in the last four games. It was also the third time in her career that she dropped in a pair of service aces, all having come this year.
The Islanders aced the Privateers nine times compared to New Orleans' two service aces.
"Our serve receive and defensive core of Zoria, Kyndal, Kayla, and [sophomore]
Kendall Mahaney were playing with a lot of effort and drive and that makes our team really respond well," said Greene.
The Islanders will conclude the regular season at home, wrapping up with Northwestern State Thursday and A&M-Commerce Saturday in the Dugan Wellness Center. They will then play host to the SLC Championships set for Nov. 16-19.
A&M-Corpus Christi has secured a first-round bye and needs one more win or a McNeese loss to clinch a double-bye to the semifinals.
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