Oxford's 17 Kills Helps ACU Sweep Midwestern State

Friday, October 5

Abilene, TX

5 p.m.

Abilene Christian

Midwestern State

Photo by: Gary Rhodes

Oxford's 17 Kills Helps ACU Sweep Midwestern State

10/5/2012 9:31:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

ABILENE - Sophomore Sara Oxford hit .485 on the strength of 17 kills, which carried Abilene Christian to a 3-0 win over Lone Star Conference rival Midwestern State Friday during the first night of competition at the Whitten Inn Classic.

The Wildcats' victory snapped a five-match losing streak and improved their record to 5-11 overall and 2-6 within the Lone Star Conference, putting them a half game ahead of the Mustangs (4-13, 2-7 LSC).

Oxford was one of three Wildcats to hit .300 or better and her 17 kills were one shy of matching her season best. She had 17 in a season-opening, four-set loss at St. Edward's and 18 during a five-set win at Eastern New Mexico. Elsewhere on the court, sophomore Rachel Riley hit an even .300 with eight kills, while Kalynne Allen delivered seven and hit .312.

ACU additionally won the defensive battle and out-blocked the Mustangs, 9.0 to 2.0. Freshmen Corrie Reeder and Sarah Siemens each were credited with two solos and a pair of block assists.

And as the Wildcats' setter, Siemens tossed up 44 assists, which helped ACU produce its second highest hitting percentage of the season at .269.

The second and third sets proved to be challenging for the Wildcats after they coasted to a 25-14 win in set one. MSU jumped out early in the second set and led by as many as six points at 17-11 following Oxford's lone attack error of the night, but then the Wildcats began to slowly chip away thanks to some timely kills from Riley and Allen that got them within two at 20-18.

After a kill from Allen brought the serve back to ACU, the Wildcats responded with consecutive solo blocks from Siemens and Jennie Loerch that tied the score for the first time since it was 10-10.

Loerch finished second to Oxford on the team with 10.5 points, scoring nine kills and two blocks.

From there, the two sides alternated points over the next seven possessions until Oxford forced Midwestern to burn its second timeout as her fifth kill of the set gave ACU a 24-23 lead. But the Mustangs caught a huge break coming out of that break as the Wildcats' first touch resulted in a service error and another tie score at 24-24.

Two points later with the set knotted at 25-25, the Wildcats were finally able to score on consecutive possessions as Allen followed Riley's go-ahead shot with the game-clincher.

In the third set, ACU watched with shock as the Mustangs whittled its 20-13 lead down to 24-23 following a Shelbi Stewart service ace. But Brandi Flores' attack was stuffed by Sarah Siemens at the net on the very next play, and the Wildcats walked away victors for the first time since their 3-2 win in Portales, N.M. on Sept. 15.

The Wildcats complete their weekend with two matches Saturday vs. Cameron (10 a.m.) and Texas-Permian Basin (3 p.m.) The Falcons also beat Midwestern State during Friday's nightcap, 3-1.