DENTON, Texas - Abilene Christian volleyball won its first set of 2014 to start Friday night's rematch at North Texas, but the Wildcats' elation quickly faded as the hosts responded with three-straight victories en route to a 3-1 win during the first day of competition at the 27th-annual Mean Green Classic.
There were two lead changes and eight ties in the first set, the last of which was at 16-16. ACU then scored the next four points thanks to points from freshman
Stephanie Schoelman and junior libero
Madison Hoover, who followed up a service ace with a rare kill.
That run provided just enough cushion as the Mean Green came back within a point three times. Carnae Dillard cut the Wildcats' advantage to 24-23 with one of her game-high 25 kills, but on the very next possession Schoelman put the game away with an assist from junior setter
Sarah Siemens.
Schoelman finished the match with nine kills on 23 attempts. Junior outside hitter Jennie Loerch, however, led the Wildcats again on offense with 18 kills (.255).
ACU was nearly flawless in the first game, hitting .438 as the Wildcats only made one error on 32 attempts. But in sets two through four, they hit .185, .192 and .160, respectively, with 16 errors and lost 25-18, 25-18 and 25-11. And only once past the first set did the Wildcats regain the lead.
ACU finished with a .255 hitting percentage, while North Texas hit .342 on the strength of Dillard's efforts (.447, three service aces, 13 digs) and a combined 52 assists from setters Amy Henard and Camille Cherry.
The Wildcats return to action Saturday with a doubleheader against Utah Valley and Jackson State. The Wolverines defeated the Tigers earlier today, 25-8, 25-16, 25-18 for only their second win of the season, while Jackson State remains winless at 0-9.
