LAFAYETTE, La. - Abilene Christian volleyball had its two-match winning streak snapped Monday night at Louisiana's Earl K. Long Gym, falling to the Ragin Cajuns in four sets by scores of 24-26, 25-16, 25-23 and 25-12.
The win lifted UL's record to 16-9, while the Wildcats fell to 4-20 despite receiving 17 kills and two blocks from junior outside hitter
Jennifer Loerch.
But unlike in their previous match Saturday at Southeastern Louisiana, the Wildcats were unable to generate much of an attack beyond Loerch as the Ragin Cajuns dug out 73 of the Wildcats' 142 attempts and blocked 9.0 shots.
Four Ragin Cajuns recorded 10 or more digs led by Caitlyn Auzilien's 19, and on the block, Chanelle Gardner stuffed five shots to go along with her 12 kills and .375 hitting percentage.
Sara Mossakowski led all players with 17 points on 14 kills and three aces, and Stacey Reilly contributed 11.5 points - one of which came on a game-wining block with Kae Kae Lockhart in set three that snapped a 1-1 tie.
The Wildcats started the pivotal third game in a 7-1 hole but came all the way back to tie the score at 12-12 and grabbed their first lead at 17-16 on one of two aces by freshman
Nicole Morales. An attack error then put ACU up by two points at 18-16.
But the Cajuns refused to fold and both they and the Wildcats battled through five additional ties at the 18, 20, 21, 22, and 23-point marks. ACU's junior setter
Sarah Siemens (11 assists) knotted the score a final time with one of her three kills, but then Reilly gave her team the lead for good on a kill and won it on the block with Lockhart.
The Wildcats grabbed a short-lived lead at 5-4 in game four, which was quickly flipped into a 9-7 deficit. ACU called a timeout down three points at 11-8, but the Cajuns strengthened as the match rolled on and ended the match on a 14-4 run.
ACU had its best statistical showing in game one, outhitting Louisiana .182 to .128 on the strength of 10 kills. One of the Cajuns' nine attack errors that game gave the Wildcats a fairly comfortable lead at 22-17, but the home team steadily clawed its way back and ultimately tied the score at 24-24 on an error by Loerch.
But after calling a timeout, the Wildcats received a kill from senior
Rachel Riley and game-winning block from senior
Neely Borger and Siemens.
Game two belong to Louisiana from start to finish as it jumped out to a 4-0 lead and finished on a 10-3 run after the Wildcats got to within two points at 15-13.
The Wildcats complete their four-match road trip and return to Southland Conference play Tuesday night at Nicholls. First serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
ACU begins a season-ending five-match homestand Saturday, Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. vs. Incarnate Word.
