AUSTIN, Texas – St. Edward's volleyball went five sets against Lubbock Christian, totaling more kills and a higher hitting percentage than the Lady Chaparrals, but committed 13 service errors and a combined six block and set errors in a loss.
KELLI FORDING and
MIA CLAY formed a potent one-two punch for St. Edward's, hitting a combined 37 kills on better than .300 hitting percentage and a pair of block assists each.
The duo set the tone early with seven kills on 21 attacks and no errors between them in a first set that went back and forth with 15 ties and four lead changes. The set remained close, with the score tied at 17 on a Fording kill set by
BRENNA HEFFRON. However, a Hilltoppers service error, Kiana Fallaha kills, and Lily Bickley's ace provided Lubbock Christian the breathing room to pull away for the 25-22 win.
St. Edward's responded with a dominant start to the second set, opening a 10-2 lead on a balanced attack set by
ALTHEA MORRIS,
JAIDEN LAVANWAY, and
BEA ANGELES. The trio combined for five, four, and four assists on a team .419 hitting percentage.
Clay was the biggest beneficiary, with six kills in eight attacks on the set.
ADDY BADLEY added three kills, and Fording and
KAYLEN LEMBCKE each contributed two on .500 hitting. St. Edward's also recorded four blocks and three aces to limit Lubbock Christian to .091 hitting.
St. Edward's seized the momentum and led in a tightly contested third set from start to finish, pulling away 25-23 with four kills each from Lembcke and Fording.
The fourth set was even early with six ties and four lead changes, but Lubbock Christian's Lily Bickley went off for seven kills on 10 attacks, two aces, and three block assists to even the match with a 25-22 win.
Lubbock Christian continued its momentum in the fifth set, jumping to an early 6-2 lead. The Lady Chaps hit .500, and the Hilltoppers hit .000 with five kills and five errors, dropping the fifth set 15-9.
Fording led three Hilltoppers in double figures with 19 kills on .311 hitting, Clay added 18 on a .375 clip, and Lembcke contributed 11 on .214 hitting. Morris led St. Edward's with 41 assists, and Morris had 14 digs.
St. Edward's drops to 9-14, Lubbock Christian improves to 12-10. The Hilltoppers will travel next week to play Western New Mexico on Thursday and Texas Permian Basin on Saturday.
