Wildcats push Lions to the limit in five-set defeat

Box Score

HAMMOND, La. - The Abilene Christian volleyball team overcame an early 2-0 deficit with consecutive wins in game three and four, but just didn't have enough late in the decisive fifth set to come away with a victory over Southeastern Louisiana Thursday night at the University Center.
 
The Lions improved to 8-16 overall and 2-10 vs. the Southland behind their first 3-2 win of the fall, while the Wildcats dropped to 5-13 and 1-9.
 
After losing the first two games by scores of 27-25 and 25-17, the Wildcats came out of the 10-minute intermission with a renewed spirit and crushed the Lions over the next two games, 25-16 and 25-18. The Wildcats were especially efficient on offense in game three, hitting .290 with 12 kills on just 31 attempts (three errors).
 
ACU trailed throughout the first part of game four, but used late 6-0 run to break a 14-14 tie during which freshman Lexi Mercier delivered back-to-back kills off assists from junior setter Haley Rhoads, who was making her season debut. SLU then crept back to within three points, but sophomore libero Madison Hoover brought her team to match point with a service ace and outside hitter Jennie Loerch finished it with her fifth kill of the set.
 
The fifth set was close from start-to-finish even though the Wildcats never once grabbed the lead. The Lions led by as many as four before having to brace themselves as the Wildcats twice came back to tie the score at 9-9 and 10-10.
 
The home team eventually claimed the lead for good on a kill from Parrie Hartley and then benefited from consecutive errors over the next two possessions that made it a 13-10 game. SLU held that advantage until a kill from Corrie Reeder made it a two-point game at 14-12, but then Landry Bullock finished the match with a spike of her own with the assist coming once again from Mikayla Shippy, who had 40.
 
Bullock led all players with 17 kills and Loerch was a close second with 16 as both teams finished with a .167 hitting percentage. Mercier, however, was the game's leading point scorer as she contributed 18.5 points on 14 kills and 7.5 blocks.
 
Freshman Dorothy Swanson was third on ACU with 12 kills, but hit a team-best .300 on 30 attempts.
 
Rhoads provided 26 assists in her first match since Nov. 9 of 2012, while sophomore Sarah Siemens had 23. Rhoads was the starting setter through all of 2011 when she was averaging 10.11 assists per set, but was injured for some of last year and had not started at match at setter since Sept. 29 of last season against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
 
On defense, Hoover finished the match with 32 digs and redshirt Neely Borger was part of three blocks, including two solo efforts.
 
The Wildcats return to action Saturday at 2 p.m. vs. New Orleans.