ABILENE – The Abilene Christian volleyball team enters the final week of its regular season with a diminished sense of urgency after Midwestern State – perhaps unknowingly – clinched the Wildcats a postseason berth following its 3-0 win Tuesday vs. Cameron.
ACU (10-18, 6-12 LSC) began the week two games ahead of the Aggies and Mustangs for the eighth and final spot in the Lone Star Conference Championship, believing it needed one more win to clinch. But because of the Mustang's win, even if the Wildcats lose this weekend's matches in Lawton and Wichita Falls, they'll still own the tiebreaker with MSU and can finish no worse than a game ahead of Cameron.
The Wildcats defeated Cameron (10-21, 4-15 LSC) and Midwestern State (7-22, 5-14 LSC) earlier this season and a carbon copy of those results would push them into seventh place. Anything less, however, could drop them to eighth and into a first-round match next Thursday at tournament host Angelo State.
ACU has not matched up well with the Rambelles this season, losing by an average of 9.2 points per game in their two sweeps.
A seventh-place finish could pit the Wildcats vs. West Texas A&M, which they beat at home this season by scores of 25-17, 25-22, 28-26. ACU also played the Lady Buffs close in Canyon but lost in three, 25-23, 25-23, and 25-21.
Additional first-round opponents for the Wildcats include Texas Woman's and Tarleton State. The Pioneers are currently a game behind the Lady Buffs for second place and the TexAnns are two back in the loss column.
The Wildcats are 1-6 since their shocking triumph over the Lady Buffs with all but two of those losses coming in three sets, and last weekend they were defeated once again at Commerce and Texas Woman's.
The Lions doubled up the Wildcats in sets one and four, and lost a close game three, 27-25, right after they overcame an early 10-2 deficit in game two to win, 25-23. The Pioneers, meanwhile, hit .260 on 104 attempts and blocked eight shots to win 25-17, 25-20 and 26-24. Viktoria Jablonska led TWU with 16.5 points and went on to earn a share of LSC Player of the Week honors.
Despite the recent influx of losses, ACU still has several individuals ranked among the conference leaders. Outside hitters
Sara Oxford and Jennie Loerch rank ninth and 13th, respectively, in kills with per set averages of 3.15 and 2.85,
Sarah Siemens is fourth with 10.44 assists, and libero
Madison Hoover is seventh with 4.69 digs.
Cameron, ACU's Friday night opponent, is led offensively by Kathryn Evans and Shannon Dulaney, both of who rank among the LSC's leaders with 3.81 and 3.37 points per set.
Shelbi Stewart's 3.03 points per set lead Midwestern State. She paced MSU's attack in its win over Cameron with 14 kills for a .400 hitting percentage.
Live statistics will be available to follow for both matches, each of which will start at 7 p.m. Cameron also will provide a video stream.
