RUSTON, La. – Old Dominion volleyball got back in the win column on Friday night as the Monarchs defeated Louisiana Tech, 3-1 at the Thomas Assembly Center.
The match marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs. ODU improves to 5-17 and 1-10 in the Sun Belt with the victory.
“I’m so proud of this team for working through adversity and finding the gear to win tonight,” said ODU head coach Fred Chao. “It’s been a tough road, but the players have remained locked in to training throughout. It’s great to see some payoff for their hard work.”
ODU 3, LA Tech 1
ODU trailed 8-6 in the first set following kills by Rita Benidio and Elisa Maggi. The Bulldogs (8-18, 0-11 Sun Belt) extended their lead with a 3-0 run to bring the match to the first media timeout. Erica Duffy served an ace to cut the deficit to 13-11, but the hosts pulled away with another three-straight points. After ODU knotted the set at 18-18 and LA Tech called a timeout, a Bulldog service error, a solo block by Katie Rakoski, and then a kill by Rakoski gave the Monarchs the lead, 21-19. LA Tech wouldn’t go away though as the home team put together a 5-0 run and captured the set point at 25-22.
The Bulldogs held a 15-10 advantage midway through the second set. Another LA Tech error, a good swing by Rakoski, and a block by Emma DiRocco and Rakoski trimmed the hosts’ lead to 16-14. The Bulldog then committed four errors, including a couple of bad sets, as the Monarchs pulled ahead, 19-18. LA Tech led 23-22 late when Emma Schelah put away a ball from Wiktoria Zagumny, Maggi served an ace, and Zagumny scored a kill to even the match at a set apiece.
The Silver and Blue fell behind, 6-1 at the start of the third set, but caught up at 13-13 as Schelah converted an attack and the Bulldogs committed consecutive attack errors. ODU took a 23-20 lead down the stretch, leading LA Tech to take a timeout. After the break, and ODU attack error and a Grace Krohn service ace had the Bulldogs on the Monarchs’ heels at 23-22. They would hold off the Bulldogs though, 25-22, as Zagumny assisted Rakoski before LA Tech’s Violet Morrandez was called for an attack error.
In the fourth set, three straight kills by Maggi, Benidio, and Zagumny opened up a 6-0 run that was capped off by a Maggi service ace. That put the Monarchs ahead, 10-3. Benidio served an ace to increase the lead, 15-6. Two more kills by Schelah and another by Maggi extended ODU’s lead to 20-9. Zagumny assisted Rakoski on match point as the Monarchs defeated the Bulldogs with a 25-15 decision.
Maggi hit .263 and scored 18 kills while adding 10 digs for her second double-double of the season. The Pavia, Italy native also served two aces. Rakoski swung for a .324 clip and followed Maggi with 16 kills and three blocks. Benidio also reached double digits with 12 kills and gathered seven digs. Zagumny finished with 32 assists and nine digs and Kyra Hampton contributed 16 assists and six digs. Ashlyn Gent paced ODU’s back row with 15 digs, and DiRocco made six blocks.
Tonight’s series opener had 25 ties, with 13 of them in second set, and 11 lead changes. The Monarchs outhit the Bulldogs, .255 to .198, and combined for a .421 clip in the fourth set. ODU also led LA Tech in kills (59-43), assists (56-32), and digs (56-41). Both teams served six aces and made nine blocks.
Up Next
ODU and LA Tech will return to the Thomas Assembly Center tomorrow for the second match in the series, which is scheduled for a 12 p.m. ET start.