PINEVILLE, La. -- LeTourneau University's volleyball team swept the season series from Louisiana College, beating the host Wildcats, 25-10, 25-17, 25-18, Friday night.
It was LETU's second sweep of Louisiana College this season, and it marked the Jackets' sixth straight win over the Wildcats. LeTourneau swept Louisiana College on Senior Day earlier this season. The YellowJackets (16-12, 8-6 American Southwest Conference) will finish the regular season with two nonconference matches at Millsaps and versus Loyola New Orleans Saturday.
LeTourneau hit a season-high .400, while Louisiana College had a .111 attack rate.
LETU freshman setter
Natalie Davenport broke the school season record for assists after finishing with 28. She surpassed Abigail Hews' 13-year record of 961 assists in 2006. Davenport ranks sixth on the YellowJackets' all-time list.
Mikayla Thomas and
Kianna Crow each had nine kills, while Thomas added three blocks.
Natalie Connelly had six kills, and
Taylor Smith five.
The YellowJackets took a 17-6 lead in the first set when Crow banged down a kill. Following a Wildcats' sideout, LETU rattled off the next seven points to jump ahead 24-7. Louisiana College scored the next three points before
Kiari Johnson put away the set with a kill.
In the middle set, Thomas' solo block put LeTourneau on top, 15-11. A kill by Connelly pushed the lead to 18-12.
Julie Smith had a kill to make it 20-14. Crow pounded a winner to move the Jackets ahead, 23-15. After the Wildcats picked up the next two points, Thomas put away two balls on the final two serves to give the YellowJackets a 2-0 lead in the match.
Louisiana College got out to a 6-3 lead in the third set, but LeTourneau went on a 5-0 run to seize control. The Wildcats battled back, regaining the momentum on a pair of Abby Revell putaways for an 11-9 advantage. A kill by Davenport, ace by
Cam Taylor and block by
Lexie Welton and Thomas moved LETU back in front, 12-11. Louisiana College answered back with the next two points before the YellowJackets used an ace by
Audrey Galindo to reclaim a 14-13 lead. The Wildcats responded again in the see-saw third set, moving back ahead, 15-14, following a Sadi Jones kill.
LeTourneau then went on a 6-0 run, triggered by a kill by
Taylor Smith, a block and kill by Thomas and a putaway by Crow. That put the Jackets up. 20-15. Crow and Connelly each had a kill and combined on a block to move LETU within match point. After a Wildcats' sideout, the YellowJackets wrapped it up on Louisiana College's service error.
There were 10 ties and 10 lead changes in the final set.
The YellowJackets outblocked the Wildcats, 6-2.