AUSTIN, Texas – St. Edward's volleyball celebrated libero JAZZY WILLIAMS for Senior Day before its final game. The Hilltoppers missed their injured senior's leadership and play on the court in a three-set loss to the St. Mary's Rattlers to close the 2024 season. 
 
KELLI FORDING led St. Edward's with 13 kills on .333 hitting, but the Hilltoppers surrendered 13 service aces and committed seven service errors in a match with narrow margins in two of three sets. 
 
The first set was a rollercoaster with 13 ties and five lead changes. Both teams played pristine volleyball with 20 kills each and five attack errors combined.
 
ALTHEA MORRIS set a clean attack with 18 assists, finding KELLI FORDING for six kills on 16 attacks on the outside and CORA YOUNG for five kills on six attempts in the middle. Alicia Virthe and Landri Withers were slightly more potent, with seven kills each on .778 and .467 hitting for the 25-23 first-set win. 
 
St. Edward's struggled with its serve-receive in the second set, surrendering seven aces. Leah Cruz led St. Mary's with three access in the set, and Withers had three kills. The Rattlers' serve also helped neutralize the Hilltopper attack, finishing with a .148 hitting percentage in a 25-17 loss to fall behind 2-0. 
 
KAYLEN LEMBCKE sparked St. Edward's with five kills on a .385 clip in the second set, balancing out Fording's four kills on 11 attacks. The Hilltoppers took a 22-19 lead on a kill by ADDY BADLEY but lost momentum with a service error. Brianna Morris-Worth posted back-to-back kills for St. Mary's to tie the match, Withers served an ace for the lead, and Cali Nims and Morris-Worth closed the game with back-to-back kills.