LAKE CHARLES— McNeese volleyball picked up a straight set (25-9, 25-21, 25-16) Southland Conference win over Northwestern State (12-11, 4-4 SLC) to finish the week with a 2-0 record and extended its winning streak to three matches.
The win puts the Cowgirls at 8-11 overall and 4-4 in the Southland Conference. The eight wins as well as SLC wins equals the total number of wins from last season with nine regular season matches remaining.
"We want to start to string volleyball matches and it starts with serve and passing. When we serve well, our offense can be lethal," said head coach
Tayler Gray. "We tasked our team to put pressure behind the service line and get them out of system."
McNeese took control of the match from the opening serve. The Cowgirls produced its second-best hitting percent of the season, a .343 percent. The Cowgirls picked up 43 kills with only nine hitting errors in 99 attempts.
McNeese opened the match by committing only one hitting error in the first set while the Demons committed eight errors and hit -.125 in the set.
Gabbie Maldonado led all players with 15 kills and a .560 hitting percent. Maldonado committed one hitting error in 25 attempts.
"Meagan (Grose) trust Gabbie. Megan will feed Gabbie 100 times in a row if she can but it's because Gabbie produces. Gabbie produces in practice and in matches. Gabbie is someone who is a pillar for this program, so when we are in tight situations or if the match is on the line, we are going to feed the ball to her," said Gray.
Ava Henry also ended the match with double figure kills (10) and a .457 hitting percent.
"There isn't anyone as athletic as
Ava Henry in the Southland. She can do anything, it's just a matter of us finding her the ball. I'm just proud both Gabbie and Ava are on our side."
Setters
Megan Grose and
Corynne Hausler both dished out double figure assists. Grose ended the match with 17 and Housler with 15.
Sophia Tocmo led all players with 21 digs.
McNEESE NOTES
• it's the third straight win for the Cowgirls
• Cowgirls produce its second-best hitting percent of the season (.343)
• McNeese had nine aces
•
Gabbie Maldonado led all players with 15 kills
•
Ava Henry had 10 kills for the only other Cowgirls with double figure kills
• Setters
Megan Grose and
Corynne Hausler dished out 10 assists each
• Grose had a match high 17 assists and Hausler had 15
• Grose tied her career high with four aces
•
Sophia Tocmo was credited with a match high 21 digs.
UPCOMING COWGIRL MATCHES
Oct. 22 at Incarnate Word* (6 p.m.)
Oct. 24 at Houston Christian* (11 a.m.)
Oct. 29 Southeastern* (6 p.m.)
Oct. 31 LSU New Orleans* (10 a.m.)
*- Southland Conference Match
