MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor volleyball team split the opening day at Rhodes College, earning a sweep over Lyon before falling 3-2 to the Lynx.
UMHB jumped to an early lead in the first set against Lyon, going ahead 8-2 and using a 7-0 run to take a 13-point margin. Lyon pulled within 10 but the Cru answered again, going up 21-8 before Lyon responded with a 5-1 run to cut the deficit again. The Cru closed it out with three unanswered points, sealing the 25-13 first-set victory.
The Cru used several short runs in the second set to pull ahead but Lyon answered with a 7-0 run to take a lead at 14-12. UMHB answered with a 7-1 run, taking a four-point lead at 19-15 and sealing the set with a 25-20 win.
Lyon led early in the third set but a five-point series from the Cru gave UMHB a lead at 9-8. The set played point-for-point until the Cru constructed a 6-1 run to go up 18-14, cruising to a 25-18 win from there.
Ava Ribakovs led the Cru with eight kills while four other Crusaders each added six. UMHB totaled 41 kills on 109 total attacks, hitting .248 in the match.
Chloe Brandt anchored the offense with 17 assists, followed by Ribakovs with 15.
Angie Garcia led the defensive efforts with 10 digs while
Sifa Olang totaled three blocks.
UMHB opened the second match of the day falling behind with 25-23 and 26-24 losses to Rhodes. The Cru responded in the third set, taking a 25-15 win. UMHB jumped to a 10-5 lead and held onto the momentum, cruising to the 10-point win in the set. The fourth set played closely until the Cru used a five-point run to take an 18-11 lead and stayed on top, knotting the match at two sets each with a 25-18 win in the fourth.
The fifth set played evenly with play going point-for-point. The set tied at 14 before an attack error put the Cru on top. The Lynx responded with a kill for a 15-15 knot then took the lead with another kill. A service error knotted the set at 16 but Rhodes responded with back-to-back kills to seal the 3-2 win.
Lilli Sandoval led the Cru with 16 kills while Ribakovs added 14 and
Allie Thompson and
Addison Yates each had 12.
Chloe Brandt led the Cru with 31 assists, followed by Ribakovs with 25. Defensively,
Angie Garcia had 27 digs with Sandoval adding 16.
UMHB returns to action in a pair of matches in Memphis on Saturday, September 12
th.
