University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Saturday, August 30
Lafayette
2:00 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
2-0
3
vs
1
Tarleton State
1-1
1
2
3
4
F
Tarleton State
26
25
15
16
1
Louisiana
28
14
25
25
3
Cajuns Offense Continues Humming Leading to Second Straight Win
8/30/2025 6:44:00 PM | Volleyball
Louisiana’s productivity was the game changer in breaking defensive gridlock
LAFAYETTE – For the second straight day on opening weekend the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball displayed its offensive prowess as six different players registered at least six kills to outpace Tarleton State's efforts in a 3-1 (28-26, 14-25, 25-15, 25-16) win on Saturday, August 30 in the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic at E.K. Long Gym.
Jazmine Gaston's match-high 14 kills and Cailin Demps' 11 kills provided the heavy lifting for Louisiana (2-0) which enjoyed a commanding 53-39 advantage in kills over the visiting Texas (1-1).
The duo combined for 13 kills as Louisiana stormed back from a 25-14 defeat in Set 2 that had evened the match. The Ragin' Cajuns scored 14 kills each set in outscoring the Texans 28-19 in kills in the match-deciding span.
It was a 23-19 deficit erased in Set 1, finished off by back-to-back kills from Demps and Gaston that forced extra points, which had UL in position to claim the win in four sets. Facing set point at 26-25, a Tarleton service error gave the Cajuns a needed side out then Gaston fired off the tiebreaking kill bringing up set point at 27-26.
Louisiana strayed from consistency in Set 2 with nine attack errors opening the door for the Texans to stretch out their lead to 20-11 and coast to the win that evened the contest.
The Cajuns defense flipped the script out of the locker room pressuring Tarleton State into nine attack errors including two crucial ones which extended the lead to 21-14. Back-to-back kills from Marlee Ervin and Gaston followed solidifying the stronghold on the tiebreaking set triumph.
UL hit a match-best .387 in the fourth set picking up steam when three consecutive kills capped off a 5-0 run that provided a 10-6 lead. Solid again at the service line with seven aces in the contest, it was back-to-back aces served up by Ryleigh Garis that expanded the late lead to 22-14.
Saturday's matchup marked the first in program history against Tarleton State. Louisiana clinched its first 2-0 start since the 2023 campaign.
LEADING THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Gaston and Demps were supported by Ervin and Chelsea Gilmore with eight kills apiece and Grace Sweeney and Gigi Smith who each tallied six kills.
Garis led with 22 assists and added 11 digs for her first double-double with the Ragin' Cajuns. Nene Hawkins picked up two more service aces and handed out 20 assists.
Smith led with three blocks and libero Kennedy Gustafson collected her first 20-dig outing since the 2023 season with a team-leading 23 digs.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana concludes play for the weekend and in the 2025 Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic at E.K. Long Gym on Sunday, August 31 with a 1:00 p.m. match against New Orleans.
The Ragin' Cajuns will attempt to claim an opening weekend sweep since the 2014 Adidas Rice Inviational and the program's first 3-0 start since Kristi Gray's inaugural season in 2021.
Admission is free and open to the public. Available parking lots can be found on the Volleyball Match Day Parking page.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsVB), Facebook (/RaginCajunsVB) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsVB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Volleyball.
Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
Jazmine Gaston's match-high 14 kills and Cailin Demps' 11 kills provided the heavy lifting for Louisiana (2-0) which enjoyed a commanding 53-39 advantage in kills over the visiting Texas (1-1).
The duo combined for 13 kills as Louisiana stormed back from a 25-14 defeat in Set 2 that had evened the match. The Ragin' Cajuns scored 14 kills each set in outscoring the Texans 28-19 in kills in the match-deciding span.
It was a 23-19 deficit erased in Set 1, finished off by back-to-back kills from Demps and Gaston that forced extra points, which had UL in position to claim the win in four sets. Facing set point at 26-25, a Tarleton service error gave the Cajuns a needed side out then Gaston fired off the tiebreaking kill bringing up set point at 27-26.
Louisiana strayed from consistency in Set 2 with nine attack errors opening the door for the Texans to stretch out their lead to 20-11 and coast to the win that evened the contest.
The Cajuns defense flipped the script out of the locker room pressuring Tarleton State into nine attack errors including two crucial ones which extended the lead to 21-14. Back-to-back kills from Marlee Ervin and Gaston followed solidifying the stronghold on the tiebreaking set triumph.
UL hit a match-best .387 in the fourth set picking up steam when three consecutive kills capped off a 5-0 run that provided a 10-6 lead. Solid again at the service line with seven aces in the contest, it was back-to-back aces served up by Ryleigh Garis that expanded the late lead to 22-14.
Saturday's matchup marked the first in program history against Tarleton State. Louisiana clinched its first 2-0 start since the 2023 campaign.
LEADING THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Gaston and Demps were supported by Ervin and Chelsea Gilmore with eight kills apiece and Grace Sweeney and Gigi Smith who each tallied six kills.
Garis led with 22 assists and added 11 digs for her first double-double with the Ragin' Cajuns. Nene Hawkins picked up two more service aces and handed out 20 assists.
Smith led with three blocks and libero Kennedy Gustafson collected her first 20-dig outing since the 2023 season with a team-leading 23 digs.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana concludes play for the weekend and in the 2025 Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic at E.K. Long Gym on Sunday, August 31 with a 1:00 p.m. match against New Orleans.
The Ragin' Cajuns will attempt to claim an opening weekend sweep since the 2014 Adidas Rice Inviational and the program's first 3-0 start since Kristi Gray's inaugural season in 2021.
Admission is free and open to the public. Available parking lots can be found on the Volleyball Match Day Parking page.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsVB), Facebook (/RaginCajunsVB) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsVB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Volleyball.
Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
- www.RaginCajuns.com -
Team Stats
TSU
UL
Kills
39
53
Errors
24
23
Attempts
142
151
Hitting %
.106
.199
Points
48.0
63.0
Assists
36
49
Aces
2
7
Blocks
7.0
3.0
Game Leaders
Kills
14
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
8
Aces
2
Blocks
1
Kills
8
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
OPP
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballMB
/ Volleyball
L
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OH
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