Freshman Cailin Bula and senior Susan Lewis (10) in the Mustangs’ victory over ECU Sept. 21. After the two wins this weekend, SMU is 3-4 in C-USA. (Jeffrey Mark Reese/The Daily Campus)
SMU volleyball brought home two victories this weekend against University of Central Florida [UCF] in Orlando on Friday and Southern Mississippi, in Hattiesburg, Miss. on Sunday.
In the first set the Mustangs fought back from a five-point UCF lead to a one point lead, 14-13, but sophomore Caroline Young’s set-high five kills were not enough to fight the Knights off.
UCF scored six of the next eight points creating another five point lead and fought to the end. The team won the first set.
The Mustangs took control in the second set, taking an early lead and did not trail by more than one point the rest of the set.
With the score tied 21-21, the Mustangs scored the next three points and took the win after Young hit her 14th kill of the match to win the set.
“We had to work hard to change things we could control such as our errors, serving and blocks,” Young said. “Even though we are usually really tough on ourselves we took care of it and won.”
The Mustangs came out on top taking a 10-3 run to start the third set. The Knights fought back cutting SMU’s lead to one at 19-18.
Junior Maddie Lozano put the Mustangs ahead with her ninth kill and a 25-21 SMU victory.
“We already know what our team is capable of and the first game did not show off how we can play,” Lozano said. “Our intensity level and fight was what helped us get through the match while fixing previous errors.”
After SMU victories in the second and third sets, the Mustangs trailed 18-14 in the fourth set. SMU scored nine of the next 11 points taking a 23-20 lead, only two away from ending the match.
With a fifth set approaching, Olivia Bailey, SMU setter, tricked the defense with a kill instead of setting a hitter to receive set point.
“I really hadn’t done it all game so I knew their blockers and defense wouldn’t be ready for it,” Bailey said. “And the pass allowed me to put it down with some pace catching the Knights off guard.”
Young led the Mustangs with a career-high 26 kills and Lozano reached 10 kills and had four blocks. Bailey had her fifth double-double of the season with 53 assists and 11 digs. Susan Lewis reached a match-high of 23 digs.
On Sunday, the Mustangs beat Southern Miss 25-23 in the first set after trailing 20-14.
Courtney Manning highlighted the first set as she set SMU’s career record for block and is now tied for third in Conference USA’s history with UAB’s Hailey Isham.
SMU took an early lead again in the second set with a 6-0 run never allowing the Golden Eagles to get close. The Mustangs won 25-13 as Manning led with four kills and a block in the set.
The Golden Eagles came out strong in the third set, taking an early 8-5 lead, but the Mustangs came from behind to take a 14-12 lead. Southern Miss never led again and SMU took the victory with a 25-16 win.
“We came out on Sunday with so much confidence,” Young said. “It’s incredible what just one win can do.”
The Mustangs return to Moody Coliseum Friday at 7 p.m. against Tulane and again Oct. 14 against UTEP. The annual “Dig Pink” match will be Oct. 19 against Tulsa.
