NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Alcorn State University women's volleyball program opened the season with losses to the University of New Orleans and Southeast Missouri State Friday in the first day of the UNO Invitational at the Human Performance Center.
"Even though we came up short today, we competed with both teams," said head coach Chelsey Nicholas. "This is truly a new era for us. I'm proud of these young ladies for competing at a level that will help us continue to progress and play at an elite level. We showed a lot of progress today, but we're still not where we need to be. So we will keep embracing the grind and trust the process."
A number of freshmen paced the Lady Braves in the 3-0 morning loss to the Privateers. Fiapaipai Iosia led both teams with 15 digs and scored a team-high four kills with an assist. Kaylyn Latin tallied 11 digs, while Jasmine Chambers collected 10 assists. Octavia Dixon followed Iosia with three kills and Daharri Thompkins earned the squad's lone ace.
UNO took control early in the first set, breaking a 1-1 tie with four straight points. A kill by Thompkins closed the gap at 8-6, but the Privateers scored another six straight. The Lady Braves were able to get within 23-19 on Thompkins' ace, but UNO scored back-to-back kills.
In set two, the Privateers started on a 3-0 run before committing a pair of attack errors. Junior transfer Singryd Valadares knotted the score at 5-5, but service and attack errors allowed UNO to take an 11-6 lead. The Lady Braves pulled to within three at 16-13 and again at 20-17, but the hosts recorded five straight points to take the set.
The third set saw multiple ties early before a pair of Kyra Hunter aces made it 6-3 UNO. A kill by freshman Omone Davies cut the lead to 11-8, but that would be the closest Alcorn would get. Kyra Hunter and Andrea Nava combined for four aces to help seal the victory for the hosts.
UNO held the advantage in kills (33-16), assists (31-16), aces (11-1), digs (39-33), and blocks (8-1). Alcorn committed fewer service errors (11-13).
Southeast Missouri State also bested Alcorn 3-0. Dixon and Valadares each posted six kills to lead Alcorn on offense, while Iosia followed with four kills. Latin and Iosia registered nine and eight digs respectively, and Chambers led both teams with 17 assists. Junior Alondra Rivera Modesto made a solo block with a block assist.
The two teams were tied at 12-12 and 13-13 in the opening set before a pair of 4-0 runs allowed the Redhawks to take a 22-16 lead. The Lady Braves got a point back on an attack error and sophomore Melinda Perrilloux added an ace, but SEMO earned three points for the early 1-0 match lead.
Set two saw SEMO use a 7-0 rally to jump ahead 15-5. The Redhawks pressed their lead to 21-8 before Valadares and Dixon earned back-to-back kills. The teams then traded 3-0 runs before Mikayla Kuhlmann scored the set point.
SEMO came out fast in the third set, using an 11-2 run to force an Alcorn timeout. With the Redhawks leading 24-13, the Lady Braves fought back with a 5-0 run of their own. Valadares started the run with a kill. After a pair of SEMO attacking errors, the junior college transfer served up an ace and Iosia followed with a kill. A service error would give the Redhawks the set and match, however.
SEMO held the advantage in most of the team statistics, but the Lady Braves did lead in total attacks (93-78).
The Lady Braves return to action tomorrow as they play Fordham at noon in Day Two of the UNO Invitational. Follow the action with live stats and video.
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