Monday, March 22
Hattiesburg, Miss.
11 a.m.
Southern Miss
-98,46 CUSA
1
vs
3
North Texas
-119,66 CUSA
1
2
3
4
F
North Texas
21
25
26
25
3
Southern Miss.
25
23
24
23
1
Volleyball's Gritty Effort Falls Just Short to North Texas in Home Finale
3/22/2021 2:04:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The final three sets were all decided by two points each, but visiting North Texas was able to come out on top with a 3-1 win in Southern Miss' final regular-season home match Monday (21-25, 25-23, 24-26, 23-25).
"I felt like we played some gutsy defense," head coach Stephanie Radecki said. "Our blockers made some big changes today, but we definitely need to put the ball away a little faster. With long rallies and serve-receives, we didn't side-out very efficiently in the fourth set."
Five Golden Eagles registered double-digit digs, a season-high, with Duquesne Moratzka (12 kills) also notching her second-straight double-double. For Lauren Talbert, it was her seventh. Southern Miss yielded just a .209 hitting percentage, its lowest in six matches. Offensively, Kinsley Hanback had 13 kills, followed by Moratzka and Talbert (12) and Nyanuer Bidit (10).
Maddie Stayer continued her rapid ascent with eight kills on 18 attacks with no errors, a .444 clip that marks a season-high. In two matches with North Texas, she had 14 kills to two errors after having two kills the entire season prior.
"That was frustrating, but we played some of the best volleyball we've had to date, and that's been one of our goals all season: to get better every day," Radecki said. "North Texas is one of the best teams in our conference traditionally, and this season is no exception. I'm proud of the girls for not quitting. They just keep fighting."
Southern Miss (9-8, 4-6 C-USA) turned a 22-14, third-set deficit into a 23-21 margin. The last five points saw two blocks by Stayer (one assisted with Hanback), a Madison Lawler ace and a kill apiece from Hanback and Talbert. North Texas had it to set-poiont with a 24-21 lead, but Hanback's kill and an Aliah Giroux ace gave Southern Miss the serve trailing 24-23, but an attack error ended the day.
The second set saw the Mean Green rally from a 22-18 deficit to win, while in the second set UNT slipped past a 21-19 margin to lead 24-20 and maintain an insurmountable lead.
Southern Miss now turns its attention to a Sunday-Monday road trip at UTEP to close out the regular season.
"I felt like we played some gutsy defense," head coach Stephanie Radecki said. "Our blockers made some big changes today, but we definitely need to put the ball away a little faster. With long rallies and serve-receives, we didn't side-out very efficiently in the fourth set."
Five Golden Eagles registered double-digit digs, a season-high, with Duquesne Moratzka (12 kills) also notching her second-straight double-double. For Lauren Talbert, it was her seventh. Southern Miss yielded just a .209 hitting percentage, its lowest in six matches. Offensively, Kinsley Hanback had 13 kills, followed by Moratzka and Talbert (12) and Nyanuer Bidit (10).
Maddie Stayer continued her rapid ascent with eight kills on 18 attacks with no errors, a .444 clip that marks a season-high. In two matches with North Texas, she had 14 kills to two errors after having two kills the entire season prior.
"That was frustrating, but we played some of the best volleyball we've had to date, and that's been one of our goals all season: to get better every day," Radecki said. "North Texas is one of the best teams in our conference traditionally, and this season is no exception. I'm proud of the girls for not quitting. They just keep fighting."
Southern Miss (9-8, 4-6 C-USA) turned a 22-14, third-set deficit into a 23-21 margin. The last five points saw two blocks by Stayer (one assisted with Hanback), a Madison Lawler ace and a kill apiece from Hanback and Talbert. North Texas had it to set-poiont with a 24-21 lead, but Hanback's kill and an Aliah Giroux ace gave Southern Miss the serve trailing 24-23, but an attack error ended the day.
The second set saw the Mean Green rally from a 22-18 deficit to win, while in the second set UNT slipped past a 21-19 margin to lead 24-20 and maintain an insurmountable lead.
Southern Miss now turns its attention to a Sunday-Monday road trip at UTEP to close out the regular season.
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Team Stats
UNT
USM
Kills
57
61
Errors
20
28
Attempts
177
199
Hitting %
.209
.166
Points
73.5
76
Assists
54
50
Aces
4
6
Blocks
12.5
9
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
13
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
12
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
RS
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's VolleyballOH/MH
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
S/RS
/ Women's VolleyballOH
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