AUSTIN, Texas – It took five games and over 200 attacks, but St. Edward's University Volleyball defeated St. Mary's, 3-2, on Saturday in the 2015 premiere of the 'Battle of the Saints'.
After winning sets one and two, 25-19 and 25-20, the Hilltoppers held off a Rattler rally to take game five 15-11. The win improves St. Edward's to 4-7 overall and 2-1 in the Heartland Conference. St. Mary's falls to 2-8 on the season and remains winless at 0-4 in conference play.
In the Toppers first five-set victory of the season, the veteran leadership of junior middle hitter
TABITHA ELDER proved critical as she collected a season-high nine kills along with four block assists. Freshman setter
JULIA HARTLEY notched her fifth double-double of the season with 25 assists and 17 digs. On the attack it was freshman outside hitter
MIKAYLA GRILL leading the way with 17 kills. Sophomore
KATIE MARTIN slid back into the role of libero, racking up 30 digs.
"I'm very proud of the kids. They played very hard," said coach DeJute following the win. "
MIKAYLA GRILL,
KATE HENDRIX, and
MADISON MCCLURG all came up big today. We didn't do so hot on the attack, but it was nice to win. We have work to do, but again, it's pride. They are such a good group of kids and are working extremely hard. We are just going to have to focus and play as a unit moving forward."
The opening game of the afternoon proved to be a slow developing affair as St. Mary's kept it close early on. However, with the score tied at 13, St. Edward's would surge behind the serve of Elder to take a 16-13 lead. A sloppy Rattler attack over the last 10 points allowed the Hilltoppers to pull away and take a one-set lead
Set two was a similar scenario. St. Mary's tied the game at 10, but timely kills from
MORGAN BECKHAM, McClurg, and Grill pushed the Toppers past the rattlers to a two-set lead.
Following the intermission St. Mary's stormed back into the match, winning set three, 25-22, despite a resilient comeback effort from St. Edward's. The visitors carried that momentum into set four, winning 25-18, but the rally would stop there.
The deciding game of the afternoon was knock-down drag-out battle as both teams traded points back and forth. A kill from Elder tied the game at three, and the Houston, Texas native would follow up with a service ace to give St. Edward's a one-point lead that would not be surrendered.
Saturday's win snaps a five-game skid for the Toppers who take to the road for three matches, all against Heartland Conference foes. The first game of the upcoming road trip will be Thursday, September 24 at Newman in Wichita, Kansas. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
