Since the end of August, the ULM women’s volleyball team has been battling tough competitors. ULM faced three teams in its season opener at the Alabama State Invitational in Montgomery, AL. The Lady Warhawks suffered a 1-3 defeat to the Lady Hornets of Alabama State, followed by a 0-3 shutout by the Lady Colonels of Nicholls State.

Fortunately, the Lady Warhawks pulled off a much-needed comeback in their final against Carolina State. The team shut out the Bulldogs with an impressive score of 3-0.

ULM outside hitter Ariana Brown spearheaded the win, lighting up the floor with 12 kills. Junior Ryley Boyne followed Brown’s example with nine strikes. Sensational setter Morgan Howard racked up 35 assists.

Though the ladies managed to conclude the invitational with a victory, subsequent matches dropped them below the .500 record. The Warhawks suffered losses against McNeese, Santa Clara and UT Arlington, with all three games ending 0-3.

Adding to their struggle, the ladies participated in the Green Wave Classic, during which they fell 0-3 to both Mississippi State and Tulane. Like their performance at the season opener, the Warhawks brought home a win against the Lady Tigers of Grambling State, trouncing them 3-0.

In their most recent match, the Lady Warhawks secured a thrilling 3-2 win over Houston Christian in Stephenville, Texas, with Brown leading the charge with 20 hits. ULM battled back from a 2-1 deficit, clinching the match in a dramatic fifth set to improve their season record to 3-7.
Although only ten games into the season, the Lady Warhawks are showing signs of improvement compared to last year. The starting record was 1-7 (a .125 win percentage) in 2023; this year’s starting record is 3-7 (a .300 win percentage) with 16 games still to play.
The Lady Warhawks will have the opportunity to bounce back with a home game against Southern Miss on Sep. 27.