By Dan Ryan
B-CUAthletics.com
LAKE CHARLES, La. -- Fifth sets don't have a large margin for error. That's the latest lesson of learning how to win Bethune-Cookman acquired Friday morning against Hampton in the Big Daddy's Classic hosted by McNeese State.
The Lady Cats took the Pirates to a fifth set before falling 3-2 (27-25, 26-28, 25-13, 22-25, 15-11) to their Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference counterparts to open the tournament. Later in the day, the host Cowgirls downed B-CU in straight sets (25-22,25-16,25-15) to extend the Lady 'Cats losing streak to ten.
Once again, it came down to finishing. B-CU was unable to capitalize on two set point opportunity in the opening stanza, but seemed to overcome that in the second. But after equalizing the match with a fourth set victory, B-CU saw Hampton score six of the final seven points - three on B-CU errors -- to take the fifth set .
"When you're going to 15, you don't have time for unforced errors," said B-CU Head Coach Isaac Raphael. "It was good to see us win some sets, but we're still struggling when it counts the most. We're getting better, but we're not there yet."
"We have to learn how to win," said freshman Delicia Pierre. "We were there against Hampton, but we have to keep our composure and close. I believe that will come ... sooner than everybody thinks."
What did come Friday was Pierre establishing herself as a consistent offensive force.
In the first eight matches, Pierre's attack errors were near a one-to-one tradeoff with her kills, but in Friday's two matches, the freshman had 32 kills to just eight errors. She was hitting over .600 for most of the opener before finishing with a team-high 21 kills on .545 hitting. Pierre also had a team-high 11 kills in the McNeese match.
"The thing that was working for me today was relaxing and going over what the coaches told me," Pierre said. "When I would go up to hit, I would try to see what he sees and use it to my advantage."
Senior Krysta Gardner had a double-double of 18 kills and 15 digs (both season highs) against Hampton and 10 kills against McNeese State. She registered kills on the set points in both the second and fourth sets.
"Krysta's back in form," Raphael said. "She still has to work a little on defense and passing, but the attack and serving were effective. That's why she's the captain."
Freshman Rhea Simon had ten kills against Hampton, while freshman Monica Lowe double-doubled with 19 assists and 11 digs. Lowe had 20 assists against McNeese State. Janeen Davis had a combined 19 digs.
With her family from nearby Lafayette comprising most of the crowd, Aria Cormier had a well-rounded stat line against Hampton - two kills, seven assists, a service ace and four blocks.
McNeese State found the weaknesses in the Lady Cat defense and hit .343 to secure the straight set win.
B-CU faces Baylor Saturday morning at 10 a.m. EST and Arkansas State at 3 p.m. EST.
