LUBBOCK, Texas – The St. Edward's Hilltoppers volleyball team made a valiant effort to take its match against Lubbock Christian the distance, but faded in the fifth set in a 3-2 (22-25, 12-25, 25-19, 25-21, 6-16) loss. 

St. Edward's opened strong, taking an early 13-7 lead on a kill by AJANI HODGES, getting three service aces in the first seven points. Lubbock Christian battled back with an 11-5 run to tie the set at 18-18 on its way to a 25-22 win. 

The Hilltoppers' attack was shut down in the second set, hitting just .026 with nine kills and eight attack errors in a 25-12 loss to fall into an 0-2 hole. 

MAYA SMALLS started digging St. Edward's out of the deficit with a spectacular third set, putting down six kills on an efficient .357 clip, and adding a block assist and ace for good measure. HALLE SANDERS stepped up with five kills on a .364 hitting percentage to put the Hilltoppers on the scoreboard with a 25-19 set. 

Smalls was sensational again with eight kills on a .467 hitting percentage in the fourth set, adding a pair of block assists. AUDREY QUESNEL and Sanders were solid in support with four kills each, and AJANI HODGES was a force at the next with four blocks assists and two solo blocks for the 25-21 win to tie the match at two sets each. 

Lubbock Christian overwhelmed St. Edward's in the second set with a balanced attack, getting three kills from three different players and hitting .412 for the set. The Hilltoppers struggled to puncture the LCU defense, hitting four kills with four errors for a .000 hitting percentage. 

Smalls finished with a match-high 22 kills on a .321 clip, adding seven block assists, three service aces, and 10 digs. Quesnel and LOURDES GOMEZ had 10 kills each, followed by Sanders with nine. Hodges led everyone with 13 block assists and two solo blocks, and SARAH KONOVODOFF contributed 27 digs. 

St. Edward's falls to 5-11 with a 2-3 conference record. The Hilltoppers will stay on the road and play Eastern New Mexico on Saturday at 12:00 p.m.