LAKE CHARLES—McNeese volleyball looked impressive in its 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-20) straight set exhibition match win over Louisiana Tech Saturday. The match marked the final tune-up before the regular season opener at the North Texas Invitational next weekend.
Head coach Kristee Porter and her staff continued to use this scrimmage to gauge where players are at this point and to see what combination of players play best as a group.
A total of 16 Cowgirls saw playing time with three freshman earning starts to open the match.
“It’s still really early in the season and this exhibition match helped us to see a little more about where our team is at this point,” said head coach Kristee Porter. “I thought we played really well against a team that isn’t us, especially in moments where play looked really clean. I was pleased with our overall performance both offensively and defensively.”
As a team, McNeese ended the match with a .258 hitting percent with freshman Mikayla Christiansen ending the match with a .667 hitting percent. Christiansen led all players with 10 kills on the day and didn’t commit a hitting error on 15 attempts.
Set 1
The set was back and forth with neither team taking more than a one-point lead until McNeese took a 19-17 lead on a kill by Aryn Johnson. The lead didn’t last long before La. Tech tied it up again. With the set tied at 22 all, Regan Stiawalt gave the Cowgirls the lead for good at 23-22. Following a Lady Techster attack error, Brian Plante’s kill gave McNeese the first set victory.
Set 2
The second set started like the first one with both teams exchanging points. With the set tied at nine apiece, McNeese went on a 7-0 run to take a 16-9 lead. Another kill by Macee Krpec followed by an ace by Jaylin Gordon put the Cowgirls up 22-13. After a La. Tech service error, Baylee Laskoskie’s ace upped the lead to 24-14 before Julianna Schmidt and Aryn Johnson came up with a huge block assists to end the set.
Set 3
Another close set at the start before the Cowgirls broke an 8-8 tie on a McKenzie Moore kill and the Cowgirls never looked back. With the Cowgirls leading 19-12, La. Tech took advantage of a few Cowgirl hitting errors to pull to within 19-17 but the Cowgirls regrouped and went on to outscore La. Tech 4-1 in the final five points of the set.
Match Notables
• 16 players saw playing time
• Three freshman (McKenzie Moore, Bailey Tillman, Aryn Johnson) earned starts in the opening set
• Freshman Mikayla Christiansen came off the bench to lead all players with 10 kills and a .667 hitting percent. Christiansen didn’t commit an error in 15 attempts
• Baylee Laskoskie and Ceci Harness split time setting with both players dishing out double figure assists. Laskoskie was credited with 20 assists and Harness with 13.
• Aryn Johnson led McNeese with 13 digs.
• Laskoskie completed her double double with 11 digs.
• As a team, McNeese was credited with 14 block assists
• Julianna Schmidt and Johnson both had three block assists apiece