LAKE CHARLES— McNeese volleyball set off fireworks in Townsley Law Arena before the actual fireworks went off following Thursday's homecoming parade and pep rally by upsetting league leading Southeastern in a five-set thriller by the scores of 15-25, 25-19, 25-22, 15-25, 18-16.
The win snapped a 10-match losing streak against Southeastern and was the first win over the Lions since 2021
With the win, McNeese improves to 9-13 overall and 5-6 in conference action. The loss drops Southeastern to 12-12 overall and 9-2 in the SLC.
The Cowgirls dropped the first set but stormed back to win the next two sets to take a 2-1 lead at the break.
Southeastern didn't go down without a fight and evened the match at two sets apiece by winning the fourth set.
The fifth set went back and forth for most of the set. With the scored tied at six apiece, the Cowgirls scored four straight points to take a 10-6 lead then went had match point at 14-11 following a Kyra McKelvey hitting error.
The Lions scored four straight points to take a 15-14 lead, but the Cowgirls tied it up at 15 on a Southeastern serving error. Southeastern would retake the 16-15 lead on a Gracie Brown kill but
Ava Henry's kill would once again tie the set at 16.
McNeese would go on to win the set and the match on back-to-back Lion hitting errors for the Cowgirls win.
McNeese will remain home to host LSU-New Orleans at 10 a.m. Saturday. McNeese will honor its four seniors (
Carli Banks,
Sophie Twigg,
Megan Grose, and
Kayla Wilson) following the match.
MATCH NOTES
• Snapped a 10-match losing streak against Southeastern
• First overall and home win over Southeastern since 2021
• The match consisted of 19 ties and five lead changes. Three of the five lead changes came in the fifth and deciding set.
• Three Cowgirls recorded double figure kills
•
Gabbie Maldonado,
Kayla Wilson, and
Ava Henry all ended the match with 14 kills apiece
• The 14 kills by Henry ties her season high
•
Corynne Hausler and
Megan Grose both ended the match with double figure assists. Hausler dished out a season high 25 assists while Grose was credited with 21
• Three players recorded double figure digs with
Sophia Tocmo leading all players with 18 digs.
Gaby Santiago added 12 digs and
Carli Banks chipped in with 11 digs.
• As a team, McNeese recorded a season high 21 bettering the 15 blocks they turned back at Southeastern on Oct. 8
•
Harmony Soles and
Gabbie Maldonado led the Cowgirls in blocking, both ending the match with career highs. Soles led all players with seven blocks while Maldonado had six.
