AUSTIN, Texas — Head coach Jeremy Garcia arrived on the Hilltop with a new standard for St. Edward's volleyball, and with every serve, swing, and set, the Hilltoppers continue to grow into it as they head into their final regular-season homestand.

The Hilltoppers are surging with a four-match winning streak, including three consecutive sweeps, and have won 12 consecutive sets.

St. Edward's (14-9, 9-4 LSC) has climbed into a three-way tie for fourth in the conference standings alongside Texas A&M-Kingsville and UT Dallas as they head into home matches against West Texas A&M and Eastern New Mexico. More importantly, the Hilltoppers have found their identity: pressure from the service line, balance across the attack, and the ability to seize control of sets after opponents have settled into their rotations.

Their recent string of sweeps has been especially revealing. Rather than relying on explosive kill outbursts, St. Edward's has shown the ability to identify what opponents are giving up, adjust, and build into a set, turning competitive stretches into commanding leads.

ALTHEA MORRIS is operating near the peak of her powers, directing an offense as varied as it is explosive. She leads the conference with 10.96 assists per set, totaling 833 through the first 76 sets of the season, and has climbed into fifth on the Hilltoppers' all-time assists list.

Senior outside hitter KELLI FORDING is one of the conference's most productive attackers, ranking fourth in kills per set (3.65) and points per set (4.07), capable of changing a match with a powerful swing or a well-placed serve.
MIA CLAY ranks ninth in the conference with 3.03 kills per set, while KAYLEN LEMBCKE has emerged as another dangerous option during the Hilltoppers' recent surge.

Together, they give Morris the freedom to distribute the offense by matchup rather than force the ball to one attacker. That flexibility has become increasingly important as opponents adjust to Fording's production, allowing St. Edward's to find points from different positions and sustain its attack deep into sets.

The Hilltoppers have also learned to create opportunities before Morris ever touches the ball.

St. Edward's ranks third in the LSC with 160 service aces, averaging 1.95 per set. Beyond the points scored directly, that pressure forces opponents out of system, limits their attacking options, and creates more predictable swings for the Hilltoppers to defend.

Libero GISELLE OJEDA has anchored that defensive effort, ranking fourth in the conference in digs per set. Her ability to keep difficult attacks alive helps turn the pressure St. Edward's applies from the service line into opportunities for Morris and the offense.

Friday's opponent, West Texas A&M, offers a particularly interesting contrast.

The Lady Buffs (12-12, 7-6 LSC) enter the weekend following two consecutive losses, but their record doesn't fully reflect the danger they pose. West Texas A&M ranks fifth in the conference with 2.07 blocks per set and seventh in opponent hitting percentage, holding opponents to a .185 clip.

The Lady Buffs have struggled with offensive consistency, hitting .186 as a team, but possess individual attackers capable of changing a match.

Kaycee Cavanaugh ranks sixth in the LSC with 324 kills, averaging 3.41 per set. Anna Ruter provides an efficient complement, ranking fourth in the conference with a .344 hitting percentage on 204 kills.

The matchup presents a battle over who gets to dictate the offense.

St. Edward's wants to spread the floor, move the block, and find openings through its collection of attackers. West Texas A&M wants to close those openings, using its presence at the net to force predictable swings, and turn the Hilltoppers' aggression against them.

The service line could decide the game. St. Edward's has developed one of the conference's most productive serving attacks, while West Texas A&M averages just 1.30 aces per set, one of the league's lower marks.

If the Hilltoppers can consistently force the Lady Buffs out of system, they can make it harder for West Texas A&M to establish its offense while giving Morris more chances to attack a defense that hasn't had time to organize.

St. Edward's will celebrate its seniors on Saturday against an Eastern New Mexico (7-17, 3-10 LSC) team entering the week on a six-match losing streak and struggling to generate consistent offense, with a hitting percentage that ranks 16th in the conference. The Greyhounds also allow opponents to hit .202, giving St. Edward's opportunities to establish its attack.

However, Eastern New Mexico has a proven scoring option in Sophia Valdez, who ranks eighth in the LSC with 294 kills, averaging 3.20 per set. Valdez also ranks eighth in points per set at 3.59, accounting for a significant share of the Greyhounds' offensive production.

Containing Valdez without compromising the rest of the defense will be important, particularly on the second day of a back-to-back weekend.

The Hilltoppers' defensive numbers suggest they have the tools to do it. St. Edward's ranks third in the conference in fewest opponent kills allowed per set at 11.13, reflecting a team that has increasingly limited opponents' opportunities to finish rallies.

Saturday's Senior Day celebration also provides a fitting backdrop for a team that has grown considerably since the opening weeks of the season.

Picked 11th in the LSC preseason poll, the Hilltoppers have climbed into the conference's upper tier, with Fording and her fellow seniors helping establish the expectations that will carry the program beyond their time on the Hilltop.
St. Edward's still has work ahead to secure its postseason position, but its recent form has changed the nature of that pursuit.

The Hilltoppers are no longer simply trying to prove they belong in the conference tournament conversation. They now have a chance to decide where they finish in it.