Box Score
DENTON, Texas – A California kid in the Lone Star State doesn’t get the chance to play in front of her parents very often, but Shelley Morton made the most of it in a 3-2 win over ULM on Friday night (25-15, 25-20, 21-25, 30-32, 15-9).
With her father in the Mean Green Volleyball Center crowd, Morton posted 23 kills on 60 attacks – both career highs – and led North Texas (12-12, 3-5 Sun Belt West) to its third straight home win in match that featured a combined 49 ties and lead changes.
And the senior wasn’t alone in the career topping on Friday. Setter Kayla Saey notched a career-best 66 assists in directing the Mean Green offense, and Hallie McDonald tallied career highs in kills (13) and attacks (33).
ULM (9-8, 3-4 Sun Belt West) setter Zuzana Markova picked a great time to post the first triple-double in the history of the Mean Green Volleyball Center. The kill that clinched that feat brought the Warhawks to within two points in the fifth and deciding set at 7-5, but it was too little too late.
Eboni Godfrey, who finished with 18 kills on .326 hitting, and Morton tallied four kills apiece in the fifth frame – including match point from Morton – to close down the Warhwaks.
Markova finished with the night with 11 kills, 32 assists and 17 digs for a ULM squad that played in its fourth straight five-set match.
After rolling in the first set with five total aces, North Texas needed a massive comeback to claw back into the second set. Down 17-13, Melanie Boykins and Morton led the Mean Green on a 12-3 to ice the frame.
North Texas will return to action at home on Sunday against Louisiana-Lafayette, who knocked off the Mean Green earlier this year in the Pelican state. First serve is slated for 1 p.m.
