AUSTIN, Texas — ALTHEA MORRIS returned to the lineup, and with her, the potent attack that has defined the St. Edward's volleyball team all season to sweep Texas A&M-Kingsville, handing the Javelinas their first conference loss.
Morris orchestrated a Hilltopper attack that put down 45 kills on a .220 clip, spreading the wealth with two attackers in double figures and three others with at least five kills, and St. Edward's supplemented it with a devastating performance from the service line with 12 aces to two errors, winning 26-24, 25-22, 25-17.
St. Edward's jumped to an early lead with a MIA CLAY kill and consecutive service aces from CARRINGTON JAIMES. Texas A&M-Kingsville responded with an 8-0 run led by Natalee Rush's three kills, some Hilltopper attack errors, and a service ace from Alexia Thompson.
The Javelinas controlled the middle of the set behind Rush's six kills on seven swings and Cambelle Brammer, who added four kills without an error. Kingsville built a lead as large as six at 20-14 while hitting .357 as a team, but the Hilltoppers had an answer in KELLI FORDING.
Fording entered the match trailing 11-7 and immediately delivered three kills in four rallies, incrementally pulling the Hilltoppers back in the game.
The senior all-conference outside hitter delivered nine kills without an error on just 12 swings in the opening set, and struck twice during a four-point run that cut the deficit to 20-18 before Morris took over from the service line.
Morris served the Hilltoppers through a four-point surge, tying the set with an ace before setting Fording and KAYLEN LEMBCKE for consecutive kills to put St. Edward's ahead 23-21. Kingsville briefly regained set point at 24-23, but Fording erased it with her ninth kill before Lembcke finished consecutive points to steal the opening set, 26-24.
The comeback shifted the tenor of the match. Kingsville's offense, nearly error-free in the opening frame with 17 kills against just two errors, never found the same rhythm again.
St. Edward's built a 13-10 advantage midway through the second behind Lembcke, who supplied four kills in the set, but the Javelinas continued to hang around. Kingsville erased a 19-16 deficit, syncing its block with Fording for a two-minute stretch, and eventually tied the set at 22 on a Hilltopper attack error.
Head coach Jeremy Garcia called timeout, and St. Edward's responded immediately. KARA WYNN terminated Morris' next set, GRACE MCDONALD followed with another kill, and Rush committed an attack error to give the Hilltoppers the final three points and a 25-22 victory.
With the Javelinas on the ropes, the Hilltoppers' service game delivered the knockout blow.
Kingsville led 8-5 early in the third before Fording rotated to the service line. After her kill brought St. Edward's within one, a Kingsville attack error tied the score, and Fording followed with three aces during a four-point serving run that pushed the Hilltoppers ahead 11-8; finding space just behind the Javlinea back row.
St. Edward's never trailed again.
Jaimes added her fourth ace moments later as the advantage grew to 14-9, and the Hilltoppers continued pulling away behind a more balanced attack. McDonald and Wynn each put down two kills during the decisive stretch before Fording delivered another at 22-12.
Lembcke fittingly finished the match with consecutive kills, closing a 25-17 third set in which St. Edward's hit .265 and sided out on 13 of Kingsville's 18 serves.
Fording finished with a match-high 16 kills on a .353 hitting percentage, including her flawless opening set, and added three aces. Lembcke supplied 10 kills on a .292 clip, while Clay had seven. McDonald and Wynn each finished with five kills, with McDonald committing only one error on eight attacks.
At the center of it all was Morris. After missing the previous match, the junior setter returned with 42 assists on the Hilltoppers' 45 kills, adding eight digs, two aces, and a block assist. GISELLE OJEDA anchored the back row with a match-high 18 digs, while Jaimes contributed four aces and four block assists. 231059
St. Edward's improved to 8-8 overall and 3-3 in Lone Star Conference play while dropping Texas A&M-Kingsville to 12-5 and 5-1 in conference competition.
