Volleyball: Tulane edges UNO in five sets at USM

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi — Tulane volleyball moved to 2-0 this season after defeating UNO (0-1) in five sets (25-18, 31-33, 25-23, 21-25, 15-11) to close out the team’s opening weekend of non-conference action in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

“After we dominated the first set, I give credit to UNO for fighting back and attacking aggressively,” head coach Jim Barnes said. “We learned some important lessons today. Overall, both matches this weekend will make us better for next week.”

Four Green Wave hitters finished the match with double-digit kills, led by senior outside hitter Lexie Douglas with 14. Junior right side hitter Yvette Burcescu had 11 while freshman right side hitter Anna Davis and junior middle hitter Kayla Dinkins each had 10. Douglas also recorded 12 digs to earn a double-double in the match. Freshman outside hitter Makenzie Martin was just short of reaching a double-double, totaling nine kills and 12 digs.

Junior setter Amanda Giardina recorded 34 assists in the match, while junior outside hitter Makala Heidelberg led the way defensively with a career-high 28 digs.

The first set was close at the start, with back-and-forth points and 10 tie scores early, until a kill from Burcescu sent Tulane on an 11-2 run that put the Green Wave up 21-13. The Olive and Blue recorded five consecutive kills on five attempts in the run, with three from Davis. Tulane held its lead for the remainder of the set despite a 5-0 run from UNO, closing it out with a kill from Burcescu to take a 1-0 lead in the match.

The Privateers held the lead for a majority of the second set, with UNO ahead by six at one point with an 18-12 score. A 7-1 Green Wave run tied the set at 19 before Tulane was able to jump ahead by one, 24-23, and force a New Orleans timeout. Back-and-forth points from both teams extended the set, before UNO was able to close it out and tie the match at 1-1.

The third was close all the way through, with no team gaining an advantage of more than three points at any point during the set. The Green Wave held the Privateers to a hitting percentage of .089 while hitting .154 as a team in set three. A solo block from Dinkins put Tulane at set point before a kill from senior middle hitter Markenzie Benoit finished it off and gave the Olive and Blue a 2-1 match lead.

New Orleans took an early lead to start the fourth and would go on to hold it for the remainder of the set. Tulane was able to close a 12-point gap after being down 8-20 as the team went on an 8-1 run to make it a five-point game at 16-21. The Green Wave held the Privateers at set point for four points but were unable to make up for the deficit as UNO evened the match at 2-2 and forced a fifth set.

A 3-0 run from the Green Wave in the fifth set put Tulane ahead 9-7, where they would ultimately stay for the remainder of the match after a back-and-forth start. A kill from Davis put the Olive and Blue at match point before one from Martin finished it off to solidify the win for the Wave.

The Green Wave’s two matches against UTSA, scheduled for this Thursday and Friday at 2 p.m., have been canceled. Additionally, Tulane has added a match for this week and will now face Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Hertz Center.

Tulane will still host Stephen F. Austin in a double-header matchup on Saturday, competing at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the Hertz Center.

All three of this weekend’s matches will be closed to the public.

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