SAN ANGELO, Texas — When Jeremy Garcia took over St. Edward's volleyball two seasons ago, he believed the talent was already there. The challenge was getting the Hilltoppers to believe in themselves, trust each other, and embrace what he and his staff were teaching.

Two years later, Garcia has increasingly become a spectator to the transformation he helped set in motion.

"They're kind of driving this bus," Garcia said following Thursday's Lone Star Conference Tournament quarterfinal victory over Midwestern State. "I think the more that they get ownership of that, the farther that we're going to go."

That ownership has translated into a team that learns from its opponents, adjusts between meetings, and continues finding new ways to win. Now, after completing a three-match season sweep of Midwestern State, fourth-seeded St. Edward's (18-10) faces its greatest test of that growth against top-seeded Angelo State in Friday's 7 p.m. semifinal.

The Hilltoppers have repeatedly improved against familiar opponents this season, most notably Midwestern State. St. Edward's needed five sets to defeat the Mustangs in their first meeting, swept the regular-season rematch, then produced one of its most balanced offensive performances in Thursday's four-set tournament victory.

That progression reflects a team increasingly comfortable identifying problems and finding solutions, a quality essential against one of the nation's best programs.

Angelo State went undefeated in LSC regular-season play behind an efficient offense, aggressive serving, and a defense that rarely allows opponents to sustain momentum. The Rambelles' consistency presents a considerable challenge, particularly on their home floor, but the teams' first meeting offers St. Edward's both encouragement and a warning.

The Hilltoppers pushed Angelo State through two competitive sets on Sept. 19, losing the opener 25-20 before taking the second 25-23. St. Edward's led 12-8 in the fourth and remained within two points at 20-18 before the Rambelles closed with five consecutive points.

The difference was less about generating offense than sustaining it.

St. Edward's finished with 47 kills to Angelo State's 46 and held a 51-45 advantage in digs, but the Rambelles overwhelmed the Hilltoppers with serving pressure, recording 11 aces to St. Edward's three. The Hilltoppers committed 28 attack errors, hitting .126 overall after producing 31 kills through the opening two sets.

Much has changed since then.

Through its first 12 matches, culminating in the Angelo State loss, St. Edward's hit .188, averaged 1.55 service aces per set, and recorded 1.15 blocks per set. Over its final 15 regular-season matches, those figures improved to .230 hitting, 2.20 aces, and 1.48 blocks per set.

The improvements extend to the defensive side. Opponents hit .200 and averaged 11.43 kills per set over the Hilltoppers' first 12 matches, but those figures declined to .176 and 10.46 over the final 15. St. Edward's also increased its digs per set from 14.66 to 15.50, extending more rallies and creating opportunities to turn defense into offense.

The statistical improvement reflects the growing confidence Garcia described and a more collaborative approach to executing the Hilltoppers' system.

LSC Setter of the Year ALTHEA MORRIS has been central to that development, directing an increasingly versatile offense that can shift its emphasis as opponents adjust. Morris recorded 52 assists against Midwestern State, distributing the ball across six Hilltoppers who finished with at least eight kills.

KELLI FORDING led with 15, GRACE MCDONALD added 12, and KAYLEN LEMBCKE finished with 11. CARRINGTON JAIMES contributed eight kills on .500 hitting, while KARA WYNN provided another eight off the bench.

The distribution reflects an offense built around more than individual talent. Morris credits the Hilltoppers' communication for helping attackers recognize opportunities as possessions develop.

"Our passers do a really great job of telling them what's open," Morris said. "But it's really a team effort."

That communication will be essential against Angelo State, whose serving disrupted the Hilltoppers' offense in September. St. Edward's must generate quality first contacts to keep Morris's full range of attacking options available while using its improved serving to challenge the Rambelles' offensive rhythm.

The stakes extend beyond a place in Saturday's championship match.

St. Edward's entered the tournament eighth in the South Central Region National Power Index, narrowly holding a position in the projected NCAA Tournament field. With an at-large berth far from guaranteed, each additional victory strengthens the Hilltoppers' opportunity to reach the national postseason for the first time since 2011.

Garcia recognizes the challenge of facing a program accustomed to competing deep into the postseason, but believes his players have earned the opportunity.

"We talk a lot about embrace the adrenaline, embrace the anxiety and the nerves of all of this that comes with it," Garcia said. "But know that you're good enough."

For the Hilltoppers, that belief is accompanied by something more personal. Every additional match represents another opportunity to extend the season together.

"We've been talking about the last couple of games playing for our seniors to let their season keep going," Morris said.

St. Edward's has spent the season learning from its opponents, trusting its system, and turning previous limitations into strengths. Friday offers an opportunity to demonstrate how far those lessons can carry the Hilltoppers against one of the nation's best.

The semifinal will stream on FloCollege, with the winner advancing to Saturday's 2 p.m. championship match.