NACOGDOCHES, Texas- McNeese first year head volleyball coach Sasha Karelov picked up her first career win as a head coach Friday night in a thrilling five set victory (25-23, 26-24, 12-25, 21-25, 15-12) over Tulsa on the first day of the Stephen F. Austin Hampton Inn Invitational. The win also marked the Cowgirls' first win of the season.
 
McNeese (1-4) jumped out to a 2-0 set lead by winning the opening set 25-23 followed by a 26-24 second set win. The Hurricane evened the match at two sets apiece by winning the next two sets 25-12 and 25-21 to send the match to a fifth and deciding set.
 
In the fifth set, the Cowgirls trailed 11-8 but rallied to score the next six points behind the serve of Mia Perales to take a 14-11 lead. Following a Cowgirls attack error, senior Kendall Glueck put the match away with her 21^st kill of the match, one shy of tying her career high of 22 against UNO last season. Glueck also turned back a career high nine blocks.
 
On defense, Bailey Tillman put together her second consistent match of the day to end the match with a career high 32 digs to lead McNeese in that category while freshman Sanni Rantanen put her name in the McNeese record books by picking up a McNeese individual single match record with 12 block assists.
 
McNeese began its day with a straight set 3-0 (25-15, 25-11, 25-22) loss against host Stephen F. Austin. McNeese will close out tournament play with an 11 a.m. match against South Alabama Saturday morning.
 
 
Head Coach Sasha Karelov Quotes
"I love the way we bounced back from this morning and absolutely battled point for point against Tulsa this evening. I'm so proud of our players for sticking to the scouting report and rising to the challenge.
 
"Bailey Tillman was so consistent today and Kendall Glueck played with poise on both offense and defense. Our setters, Dejah Dade and Mia Perales kept the team calm in pressure situations. It was a total team effort and it was so fun to watch."
 
McNeese Match Notes
• McNeese bounced back from a 3-0 loss to Stephen F. Austin earlier in the day to pick up its first win of the season, a thrilling 3-2 win over Tulsa
• The Tulsa win also marked the first career win as a head coach for coach Sasha Karelov
• Freshman Sanni Rantanen set a McNeese individual match record with 12 block assists in the win over Tulsa
• Bailey Tillman recorded a career high 32 digs against Tulsa
• Kendall Glueck led McNeese with 21 kills against Tulsa, one shy of tying her career high of 22 and recorded a career high nine blocks against the Hurricane. Glueck also led McNeese with 10 kills against SFA.  
• Mia Perales and Deja Dade split time as the Cowgirls setters. Perales recorded at total of 35 assists on the day while Dade dished out a total of 23.
• Kendall Osgood recorded a career high 12 digs against Tulsa
• McKenzie Moore recorded a career high six blocks against Tulsa
• Lizzy Low picked up a season high 25 digs against Tulsa
  
McNeese Stat Leaders
vs. SFA
Kills: 10, Kendall Glueck
Assists: 23, Mia Perales
Digs: 32, Bailey Tillman
Blocks: 12, Sanni Rantanen
 
vs. Tulsa
Kills: 21, Kendall Glueck
Assists: 14, Mia Perales
Digs: 13, Mia Perales
Blocks: 5, Sanni Rantanen