SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Louisiana Christian University volleyball team rallied to win a dramatic second set but fell 3-1 (25-11, 25-27, 25-10, 25-16) to Our Lady of the Lake on Friday at Mabee Gymnasium.
Louisiana Christian (1-8, 0-1 RRAC) showed its resilience after Our Lady of the Lake (6-9, 2-1 RRAC) controlled the opening set.
Kourtlyn Smith and
Kylie Elmore delivered kills during a three-point Wildcats response that cut the deficit to 12-6, but the Saints answered with seven consecutive points. LCU struggled to regain their rhythm as OLLU closed out the set.
The Wildcats responded with their strongest stretch of the match in the second.
Natalie Aasen hit consecutive service aces during a four-point run that reduced a seven-point deficit to 13-11.
LCU later trailed 22-18, but an Aasen kill started another four-point charge, and
Mallory Wills completed the comeback with a kill that tied the set at 22. Smith then put the Wildcats ahead 24-23 with a kill, creating the Wildcats' first set-point opportunity.
After the Saints tied the score,
Joie Goodwin recorded a kill for a 25-24 advantage. The teams traded another point before LCU's front-row defense finished the set.
Holly Rowe's block put the Wildcats ahead 26-25, and Rowe joined Aasen on the set-winning block to secure the 27-25 victory and even the match, 1-1. The rally highlighted LCU's ability to stay connected and execute under pressure after falling behind late.
The Saints answered with a 25-10 win in the third set, when the Wildcats were limited to a minus-.103 attack percentage. LCU competed evenly early in the fourth as Wills and Goodwin combined for a block to tie the score at 6, and the Wildcats took a 7-6 lead on the next point. The set was tied again at 9 before the Saints scored six straight points. Wills started a two-point LCU response with a kill that trimmed the margin to 15-11, but LCU could not pull closer in the 25-16 clincher.
Aasen led LCU with seven kills, two aces and 10 digs while also contributing five assists.
Smith added six kills, and Wills finished with four kills and four total blocks.
Elmore directed the offense with 13 assists and collected eight digs, while
Yadneli Molina supplied a team-high 13 digs.
Rowe contributed three total blocks, including two solo stops, as the Wildcats totaled seven blocks, 24 kills and 48 digs.
The Wildcats will remain in San Antonio for a pair of matches on Saturday, starting at 11 a.m. with the rematch against the Saints. Immediately following the match against OLLU, LCU will turn around to take on NCAA Division III Schreiner with opening serve against the Mountaineers (2-2) set for 1 p.m. with both matches set to take place in OLLU's Mabee Gymnasium.
