TYLER, Texas – After ending Friday and opening Saturday with tough five-set losses, St. Edward's volleyball broke through with a convincing 3-0 win over Montevallo for its first win and first-year head coach Jared Te'o's first career win. 
 
"I'm proud of how the team responded after two heartbreaking five-set losses," Te'o says. "We discussed how you only learn from experience, so it was nice to see different players stepping up in different matches."  
 
Game 1: Southern Nazarene University 3, St. Edward's 2
 
St. Edward's battled back from a seven-point deficit in the first set but couldn't compete the rally to fall behind with a 25-22 loss. 
 
The Hilltoppers bounced back with back-to-back wins in sets two and three, getting a combined nine kills from ADDY BADLEY in the two sets and eight from CORA YOUNG to earn 25-23 and 25-20 victories. 
 
Set 4 went back and forth until a service error gave SNU set point, and Tessa Henry put it away with the kill to take it 25-23. Southern Nazarene closed the match with a 4-1 run to take the fifth set 15-11. 
 
Badley put down 17 kills on a .359 clip while contributing ten digs, and CORA YOUNG added 13 with a blistering .500 hitting percentage. SARAH KONOVODOFF posted 38 digs, and setter JAIDEN LAVANWAY filled in for JORDAN CHAPMAN and set up 31 assists. 
 
"We were without our starting setter and team captain, JORDAN CHAPMAN, and the team wanted to battle for her," Te'o says. "Our middles played superbly. CORA YOUNG is coming along quickly and doing great things, ADDY BADLEY is doing well on both sides of the ball, and CASSIDY COLE brings some leadership and made great touches today." 
 
Game 2: St. Edward's 3, Montevallo 0
 
Badley produced another double-digit kills match with 11, hitting just under .500 at .458, and the St. Edward's Hilltoppers made quick work of Montevallo to earn their first win. 
 
The team posted six solo blocks, and the Hilltoppers got 20-plus digs from DELANEY GREGORY (22) and SARAH KONOVODOFF (20) to stifle Montevallo's attack and keep it under .100 hitting. LANDRY BAUGHMAN added eight kills and six digs, and LaVanway had 18 assists and two aces in a balanced effort for St. Edward's. 
 
"I was a little unconventional this weekend, playing everyone to expedite acclimating half a roster of new players," Te'o says. "They're settling into what we need from each position and the collective group.
 
"LOURDES GOMEZ and SARAH KONOVODOFF are doing a good job getting our underclassmen adjusted to the college level. Everyone played extended minutes and empowered each other. It didn't result in winning all our games, but we got better in many facets with each set played. I'm very proud of their resilience and buying into our vision."
 
St. Edward's will travel to California next weekend to participate in the Cougar Classic hosted by Cal State San Marcos.