HOUSTON - Abilene Christian had three players reach double figures in scoring but couldn't overcome a strong individual performance from Jessica Wooten, who hit .321 with 22 kills, leading Houston Baptist to a 3-2 victory over the Wildcats Thursday night at Sharp Gym.
The loss broke ACU's season-best three-match winning streak.
HBU (10-11, 3-4 SLC) dropped the first set 25-21 before coming back to win the next two games, 25-21 and 25-19. ACU then battled its way to a 26-24 triumph in game four only to lose 15-13 in the finale to fall to 4-16 overall and 4-3 in the Southland.
The Wildcats led by as many as three points late in the decisive set at 12-9, but it quickly vanished as the Huskies took off on a match-ending 6-1 run ignited by Allison Doerpinghaus and Wooten. Doerpinghaus recorded three of her eight kills during this stretch, while Wooten provided two including the game-winner.
ACU experienced its own moments of excellence as well. The Wildcats started hot in hitting .371 with 17 kills in game one led by Jennie Loerch's five kills and four from freshman
Kendall Bosse. ACU also dug out 14 attacks and blocked a shot as the Huskies finished the first set with a .152 attack percentage.
Unfortunately, this pattern did not continue long. ACU's hitting errors piled up in games two and three (17) as HBU improved its block (11) in taking a 2-1 lead, but in game four the Wildcats outblocked the Huskies, 4-1, and made two fewer attack errors as the two sides fought through five lead changes and 16 ties.
Wooten tied the score twice late at 23-23 and 24-24 with consecutive kills, but the Wildcats retook the lead immediately afterward with one of Loerch's team-high 12 kills and then the game-winning ace from senior setter
Sarah Siemens, who totaled 45 assists.
Loerch also provided 16 digs, which were 11 behind team leader and senior libero Madison Hover (27).
ACU freshman
Lauren Walker completed the match with 14.0 points, hitting .360Â with 11 kills and six block assists, and close behind her was freshman
Jacey Smith with 11.5 points and 10 kills.
HBU countered these efforts with 14.0 total team blocks and a .206 attacking percentage the was roughly 50 points better than the Wildcats. Doerpinghaus was in on nine blocks and setter Kayla Armer was part of six to go along with her 47 assists.
The Wildcats conclude their road trip Saturday at 1 p.m. vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
