Wildcats Outlast Zias 3-2

Saturday, November 6

Abilene

2 pm

Abilene Christian

Eastern New Mexico

Photo by: Jeremy Enlow

11/6/2010 4:47:59 PM | Women's Volleyball

ABILENE – ACU outlasted a gritty Eastern New Mexico volleyball squad Saturday to finish out a 3-2 win to close out the regular season at Moody Coliseum. The Wildcats close out the regular season 25-4 and 13-1 in the LSC while the Zias end their season at 13-16 and 3-10 in league play.

The Zias raced out to 7-4 lead forcing the Wildcats to call a timeout early in the match. Neely Borger responded with a kill, but Eastern New Mexico would bounce back with three more points to take a 10-5 lead.

ACU would trade points slowly chipping away to pull within one at 21-22 on a kill by Jordan Schilling. ENMU would answer after a time out with a kill from Amber Durand and two from Kristen Beck giving the Zias a 25-22 win.

In the second set ACU would bounce back taking a 6-0 lead battling through a few long rallies. The Zias would slowly chip away at the Wildcat lead pulling it to 18-17 after a Zia kill. Kalynne Allen would pound a high kill in the middle of the court pushing ACU ahead 23-17. Both teams would trade errors before Shawna Hines and Allen cornered a Zia attack for their first block of the match to even the game at 1-1.

The Wildcats dominated the third set racing out to a 8-3 lead before a Borger attack went wide making it 8-4. ACU continued on a 6-0 run as Borger connected on a pair of service aces taking a 15-7 lead. Eastern New Mexico would get no closer in the third set as ACU raced to a 25-11 win.

ENMU bounced back to battle ACU in the fourth set pushing the match to final fifth set. The Wildcats pulled out to a 5-2 lead but the Zias again slowly worked back into the match on six Wildcat errors. The Zias would make a 6-2 taking 17-16 lead they would not lose.

Amber Durand would make two kills and a block holding off a Wildcat charge for a 25-19 win. Durand would lead all players with 16 kills.

Both teams came out swinging in the final set hitting close to .400 in the set. ACU would reach the break first with an 8-4 lead, but the Zias would battle back tying the game at 11-11 on another kill from Durand.

ACU and ENMU would trade scores again, but the Wildcats this time would withstand the Zia charge. Schilling posted to kills closing out the win to either sideline in a 16-14 win.

Hines and Allen finished with 15 kills apiece as Hines led all players with a .389 hitting percentage. Hines also added five blocks in the win.

Schilling, Allen and IJ Moronu all three recorded double-doubles in the five set victory. Allen added 24 digs to lead all players while Schilling finished with 16 digs and 14 kills.

Moronu recorded her third highest total of the season with 50 assists adding 13 digs for her 16th double-double of the season. Moronu also added six blocks.

Along with Moronu, Borger and Maddie Robinett and Kelsie Edwards were both solid defensively for the Wildcats. Robinett finished with 17 digs and a block while Edwards added 16 digs.

With the win ACU clinches a No. 2 seed in next week's Lone Star Conference Tournament in Canyon. A loss from Angelo State gave West Texas A&M the outright regular season title as the Lady Buffs will enter the tournament as the No. 1 seed.

Check back to acusports.com for tournament brackets and times.