The Lady Jags Knockout the Lady Gators

The Southern University Volleyball lit a fire on University of New Orleans in their win at home on Thursday, October 9. If you were not in Clifford Seymour Gym on Thursday, there was a showdown. While both teams were playing smart with their great defensive and offensive skills, SU came out on top to continue their four-game winning streak.
Kicking off the first set, both sides were trying to make their mark and claim the upper hand. Staring out, SU started off with lag with each play, but with great communication and lots of intensity, SU’s game progressed, leaving audience members unable to pinpoint who would get the victory. Southern’s Marisol Macias, Phalen Clark, and Diamond Williams were the leaders in this set. Towards the end of the set, the Jags and the Gators were head to head with a three-time set point, ending the set with a UNO win of 30-28. Although SU did not claim the first set, they let the Lady Gators of UNO know that it would not be an easy match.
After an amazing showdown in the first set, one would think the match would build off that energy. That was not the case. In the second set, both sides of the net seemed to be a little slow-paced and fatigued. UNO claimed the second set 25-19.
The third set is what some may call a game changer. Whatever happened between set two and three, the ladies of Southern volleyball changed their approach in what could be their last set. The Jags came back with more energy and intensity than in set one. The front and back row both played major roles in claiming the set 25-17, and prolonged the game in a good way. Set three was also a game of serves. In the past few matches, serving had been an issue. That was not the case this time. Clark had three aces in a row in the last few points, allowing the Jags to pull away from the Gators.
Tension filled the fourth set. Southern was playing to move on while UNO was playing to finish the match once and for all. Long volleys, tip kills, and smart decisions ruled this set. Because of a miscommunication between players on UNO’s side, SU saw the green light to take the set with a tip kill right behind the block.
Here we have it- the final verdict, or more commonly known as the fifth and final set. Starting out, the Lady Jags were not showing the drive they had in previous sets, falling behind 9-3. The kill from sophomore, Leilani Lealaimatafao, set the pace for the rest of her teammates. It also slowed down UNO’s race to the finish because they began to make error after error. With a few aces and kills, the clever Southern Jaguars take the match 16-14 to finish the clash of colossal players attributing their worth.