Lady Blues End Wildcats' Season

Friday, November 19

Warrensburg, Mo.

5 pm

Abilene Christian

Washburn

Photo by: Denny Medley

11/19/2010 7:02:53 PM | Women's Volleyball

WARRENSBURG, Mo. – An outstanding season came to an end Friday night for the ACU volleyball team as they fell to Washburn, 3-1 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Central Missouri's Multipurpose Building.

The loss ends the Wildcats' season at 27-6 while Washburn advances to the South Central Region Final to play the winner of the late match between Central Missouri and Emporia State. ACU falls in their final match (25-20, 25-15, 20-25, 25-15) while making their second run to the postseason since 2006, head coach Kellen Mock's first season at the helm.

Both teams got off to a sluggish start and neither found a rhythm in the opening set. The Lady Blues took a 6-0 run before a Shawna Hines recorded three kills and a block trying to spark an ACU comeback that came just short. After Hines block the Wildcats pulled within 23-20, but that was as close as they would get when a Lady Blues kill found the sideline giving Washburn set one.

Washburn would come out firing in the second set as Jordan Schilling would post two back to back kills trying to end a Lady Blues run at 14-11. However, Washburn took runs of 9-2 and 11-2 to close out a quick second set as the Wildcats fell 25-15.

ACU come out to pick up the third set jumping out to a 4-1 lead after a big solo block by Neely Borger. The Lady Blues would make another charge as they did all night, but Schilling would smash a deep kill ending a 5-0 run and sparking a run for ACU.

IJ Moronu added a great touch kill for the Wildcats to push the lead back to 19-16. The Wildcats would win a long rally as a great hustle play from Kelsie Edwards passed a ball to Moronu allowing a Hines kill giving ACU a 22-17 advantage. ACU would get a sideline smash from Jennie Hutt and a Lady Blues error would give the Wildcats their only set 25-20.

The fourth set proved to be all Washburn as both teams traded scores to 7-7 when the Lady Blues took a 6-2 run making the advantage 13-9. Kalynne Allen would hit a deep smash in the corner to spark a 4-0 ACU run, but it would not be enough for the Wildcats.

Washburn finished another 6-2 taking set three 25-15 and ending the Wildcats' season.

Jordan Schilling posted her second double-double in the NCAA Tournament with 13 kills and 18 digs. Shawna Hines added eight kills and five blocks to give her 612 blocks for her career and second all-time at ACU. Also on the defensive end Allen added 20 digs as well.

The Wildcats struggled offensively hitting .075 and committing 27 errors.

Senior setter IJ Moronu who finishes a stellar career at ACU adding 32 assists in her final game for the Wildcats. Moronu narrowly missed a double-double adding nine digs in the loss.