Volleyball: Freshmen Step Up To Help Ragin’ Cajuns Past Nicholls State

Matt Sullivan, September 6, 2013

Louisiana to face Alcorn State, Houston on final day of tournament

Contact: Matt Sullivan
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LAFAYETTE – Playing without starting setter Andrea Hole, freshman Jessica Bartczyszyn recorded 33 assists in her first career start and helped the Louisiana volleyball team to a 25-15, 25-17, 21-25, 25-16 victory over Nicholls State in the inaugural Sawyer Camillo Memorial Volleyball Classic on Friday at Earl K. Long Gym.

Sara Mossakowski recorded a team-high 12 kills for the Ragin’ Cajuns (4-1) while St. Martinville freshman Chanelle Gardner collected three of her season-high six kills in the fourth set.

Louisiana will return to action on Saturday with a pair of matches beginning at noon against Alcorn State (0-3) before concluding the two-day event against Houston (4-1) at 6 p.m. Action in the four-team event begins at 10 a.m. with Houston facing Nicholls State (1-3) with the Colonels facing Alcorn State at 3 p.m..

"Our freshman class is very strong and tonight they played well," Louisiana head coach Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot said. "The fact that we can lose our starting setter, but still compete at the same level says a lot about our team.

"Chanelle came in and made a difference tonight. She and (sophomore) Abby Filce are competing for playing time, but I feel comfortable with either one of them in the lineup."

The Ragin’ Cajuns claimed the opening set after pulling away from a 13-12 lead that was started by a kill from Tonice White. Taylor Meade then served up three aces in a 5-0 run that pushed Louisiana’s lead to 19-12 before White closed out the match with four kills in another 5-0 down the stretch.

Mossakowski, who missed the Ragin’ Cajuns match at Alcorn State on Tuesday, added three kills and a pair of service aces in the second set as Louisiana hit .212 at the net. A kill by Mossakowski gave Louisiana a 13-11 lead before a bad set by Nicholls (1-3) and eventual block by White and Bartczyszyn gave the Ragin’ Cajuns a 17-11 lead.

Nicholls State fought back in the third set as it hit .189 at the net (11-4-37) while serving up five of its six total aces on the night. Kayla Mashburn recorded four of her 12 kills in the frame for the Colonels while Kayla Burling added three of her match-high 13.

But that would be as close as the Colonels would get as Louisiana would hit .387 in the final set (12-1-30) with Gardner converting on three of her four opportunities at the net while Mossakowski hit .500 on eight attempts.

Mossakowski helped Louisiana pull away from a 16-13 lead with a kill before Gardner added a pair of blocks and a kill to give the Ragin’ Cajuns a 20-13 lead and forcing Nicholls State to call its final timeout.

Caitlyn Auxilien led Louisiana with a season-high 25 digs while Lavinia Tataran added 10. White added eight kills and five blocks for the Ragin’ Cajuns while Mossakowski and Meade recorded three aces each.