COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — KELLI FORDING delivered 35 kills across eight sets, powering St. Edward's volleyball to a split Saturday on the final day of the Mountain Lion Classic.
Fording put away a career-high 24 kills on a .333 hitting percentage in a four-set victory over South Dakota Mines before adding 11 against tournament host UCCS. The Hilltoppers defeated the Hardrockers 29-27, 17-25, 25-20, 25-22, then fell to the Mountain Lions 28-26, 25-19, 22-25, 25-20.
St. Edward's finished the tournament with a 2-2 record and moved to 4-4 overall.
Game 1: St. Edward's 3, South Dakota Mines 1
29-27, 17-25, 25-20, 25-22
St. Edward's generated a season-high 62 kills behind one of Fording's best performances as a Hilltopper, while
KARA WYNN added 13 kills and
KAYLEN LEMBCKE contributed nine.
The Hilltoppers hit .421 with 22 kills in the first set but trailed 23-17 before
CARRINGTON JAIMES helped engineer the comeback from the service line. Lembcke contributed three kills during a 6-0 run that pulled St. Edward's even at 23.
South Dakota Mines reached set point twice, including a 27-26 advantage, but Fording kept the Hilltoppers alive with a kill;
GISELLE OJEDA followed with an ace, and Fording finished the comeback with her eighth kill of the set, matching Lembcke.
The Hardrockers responded by building an early advantage in the second and holding St. Edward's to a .033 hitting percentage to even the match.
St. Edward's regrouped in the third behind improved work at the net. Jaimes contributed to three blocks as the Hilltoppers built a 19-11 lead. South Dakota Mines pulled within three late, but Fording delivered two of St. Edward's final three kills before
ALTHEA MORRIS closed the set with an ace.
KARA WYNN took over early in the fourth, recording four kills during a stretch that gave the Hilltoppers a 11-6 advantage. A few points later, South Dakota Mines reeled off an 8-0 run to take a 15-14 lead, but St. Edward's steadied itself behind Fording and Morris.
Morris delivered an ace to cap a 3-0 response, and the Hilltoppers never trailed again. Wynn put St. Edward's at match point with her seventh kill of the set before Ojeda found the floor for the final point.
Fording finished with 24 kills, while Wynn added 13 on a .321 hitting percentage. Lembcke contributed nine kills, and
GRACE MCDONALD hit .556 with six kills and two block assists.
Morris distributed 48 assists with 12 digs, and Ojeda totaled 19 digs.
BELLA BRICENO added five digs and a pair of aces.
Game 2: UCCS 3, St. Edward's 1
28-26, 25-19, 22-25, 25-20
St. Edward's rallied late in the opening set and extended the match with a strong third, but UCCS controlled the net with 16 blocks to close the tournament with a four-set win.
The Hilltoppers erased a 20-16 deficit in the first behind Wynn, who recorded three kills during a 5-0 run. St. Edward's later fought off two set points and earned one of its own at 25-24, but the Mountain Lions scored four of the final five points to escape with the set.
UCCS created separation midway through the second, turning an 8-7 lead into a 17-11 advantage. St. Edward's briefly pulled within four behind an ace from
DELANEY GREGORY and a Mountain Lion attack error, but UCCS closed on a 5-2 run.
St. Edward's found its offensive rhythm in the third, hitting .282 behind McDonald,
LANDRY BAUGHMAN, and Jaimes.
The Hilltoppers broke a 20-20 tie by scoring five of the final seven points. Baughman produced three kills during the closing run, and McDonald delivered the final two.
The Hilltoppers carried that momentum into the fourth and led 19-15 following a Fording kill. UCCS answered with five consecutive points to move ahead. Fording briefly stopped the run, but the Mountain Lions scored the final five points to finish the match.
McDonald led St. Edward's with 12 kills on a .345 hitting percentage. Wynn added 12 kills, Fording finished with 11, and Baughman contributed 10. Jaimes recorded seven kills while hitting .333.
Morris finished with 43 assists, 16 digs and two aces. Ojeda led the back row with 17 digs, while Briceno added nine.
The Hilltoppers will conclude their opening road stint and non-conference portion of the schedule next weekend in Odessa, competing against UT Dallas and Texas Permian Basin in non-conference games before opening conference play at home on Sept. 18 against Texas Permian Basin.
