Privateers show flashes offensively but struggle to slow down Houston Christian in Southland Conference matchup.

HOUSTON, Texas — LSU New Orleans continued its search for answers in Southland Conference play Thursday night, falling to Houston Christian in straight sets (25-23, 25-17, 25-18) at Sharp Gym.

While the final result wasn’t what the Privateers were hoping for, there were moments throughout the match where LSU New Orleans showed its ability to compete. Unfortunately, maintaining that level of play against a Houston Christian team that was efficient offensively proved to be the difference.

With the loss, LSU New Orleans fell to 2-18 overall and 0-7 in Southland Conference play, while Houston Christian improved to 3-16 overall and 1-6 in conference action.

Privateers Battle in Opening Set

The opening set provided LSU New Orleans with its best opportunity to take control of the match.

The Privateers finished with 14 kills on 53 attempts, recording a .170 hitting percentage. While that number wasn’t overwhelming, it was enough to keep LSU New Orleans competitive against the Huskies, who recorded 19 kills in the opening frame.

Houston Christian eventually took the first set 25-23, but the two-point difference showed just how close LSU New Orleans was to getting an early advantage.

For a team still looking for its first conference victory, those are the opportunities that have to turn into set wins.

The Privateers weren’t far away in that opening set, but Houston Christian made enough plays offensively to secure the early lead.

Houston Christian Takes Control

The second set was where things began to shift in favor of the Huskies.

LSU New Orleans recorded 12 kills but also committed seven attacking errors, finishing with a .114 hitting percentage. Houston Christian, meanwhile, improved its offensive efficiency to .353 with 15 kills and only three attacking errors.

That difference in efficiency allowed the Huskies to take the second set 25-17 and build a commanding 2-0 lead.

The third set followed a similar pattern.

LSU New Orleans finished with nine kills and four errors on 25 attempts, hitting .200 in the final frame. Houston Christian was even more effective, recording 16 kills on 29 attempts with only four errors for a .414 hitting percentage.

The Huskies closed out the match with a 25-18 victory in the third set.

Freeman Leads the Privateers Offensively

Despite the loss, Ava Freeman provided one of the stronger offensive performances for LSU New Orleans.

Freeman finished with a team-high nine kills on 22 attempts, hitting .273 while contributing five digs and a block assist.

Ryan Williams added eight kills on 25 attempts, giving the Privateers another offensive option throughout the match.

Armie Hall also made an impact with seven kills on 27 attempts, finishing with a .185 hitting percentage and four digs.

Defensively, Peyton Cole led LSU New Orleans with 13 digs, helping keep the Privateers competitive during longer rallies.

As a team, LSU New Orleans finished with 35 kills, 16 attacking errors and a .156 hitting percentage. The Privateers also recorded 43 digs and four service aces.

Those numbers show a team capable of generating offense, but one that still needs more consistency from set to set.

Houston Christian’s Offensive Efficiency Makes the Difference

While LSU New Orleans had opportunities, Houston Christian’s offensive production was simply too much.

The Huskies finished with 50 kills on 116 attempts, committing only 12 attacking errors for a .328 hitting percentage.

Sa’Mayah Medford led Houston Christian with 12 kills, hitting .226, while Joya Euhus added 11 kills and hit .296.

Malaya Balina-Ayers was especially effective, finishing with eight kills on 11 attempts without an attacking error for a .727 hitting percentage.

Houston Christian also held a 57-43 advantage in digs, creating additional opportunities to turn defensive plays into offensive production.

The Huskies finished with 56 total points compared to 42 for LSU New Orleans.

What’s Next for LSU New Orleans?

At 2-18 overall and still searching for its first Southland Conference victory, LSU New Orleans has plenty of work ahead.

However, Thursday’s opening set is something the Privateers can build on.

The ability to compete was there, especially early in the match. The challenge moving forward will be finding a way to sustain that level of play for an entire match rather than just stretches.

One of the biggest concerns remains offensive consistency. LSU New Orleans finished with 35 kills compared to Houston Christian’s 50, and that difference becomes difficult to overcome when the opposing team is hitting above .300.

For the Privateers, the focus has to remain on limiting errors, improving offensive execution and finding ways to finish close sets.

A 2-18 record certainly isn’t where LSU New Orleans wants to be, but there is still an opportunity to improve throughout the remainder of conference play.

Thursday night showed that the Privateers can compete. Now the next step is turning those competitive moments into set victories and, eventually, finding that first Southland Conference win.