FAU and UTRGV top Wildcat Volleyball

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Abilene Christian volleyball began its stay at the Owl Classic with a doubleheader loss to UT Rio Grande Valley and host Florida Atlantic Friday at the FAU Arena. Sophomore outside hitter Jacey Smith led all Wildcat scorers with 30.5 points as she added six blocks and two aces to her 25 kills.

Middle blockers Lauren Walker and Lexi Mercier also provided a strong presence at the net, combining on 12 of the Wildcats 25.0 blocks. 

Sophomore setter Kendall Bosse excelled in several areas for the Wildcats, leading them with 7.33 assists per set while digging out 26 attacks and providing 10 block assists for a total of 14.0 points.

Overall, ACU outblocked its Friday competition 25 to 18.

The Wildcats will look to end their tournament season on a winning note Saturday as they'll take on both Tulane and Florida Gulf Coast. Match times are 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. CT.
 

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Match No. 1 | Florida Atlantic 3, ACU 1
ACU volleyball began its day with a 3-1 loss to host FAU.

The Wildcats were competitive in sets two and three, losing the second game, 26-24, before avoiding the Owls' sweep with a game three triumph, 25-20.

ACU distanced itself from FAU in game three with a 3-0 run after the Owls tied the score at 15-15, and finished the contest on a 5-1 run in which the Wildcats received a kill from freshman Marybeth Sandercox, an ace from sophomore Mikai Brown and game-winning block from veterans Corinne Grandcolas and Lexi Mercier.

The Wildcats battled back from a pair of four-point deficits late in game two, but weren't able to take a lead down the stretch despite tying the score at 23-23 and 24-24. Following ACU's final point - a kill from Makenna LeSueur - the Owls responded with a go-ahead kill from Maja Ristic and took a 2-0 lead into the break after sophomore Jacey Smith was charged with an attack error.

Smith led the Wildcats with 12 kills and 15 points vs. the Owls as she took part in four blocks and dealt an ace. Sophomore Kendall Bosse tossed up 27 assists, dug out 11 attacks and had a hand in six of the Wildcats 14 blocks.

The Owls hit .260 vs. ACU and had three players with more than 10 kills: Sigourney Kame (12), Ristic (11) and Abbi Reid (10).
 

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Match No. 2 | UTRGV 3, ACU 2
A 2-0 lead slipped away from the Wildcats as they finished 0-2 vs. the Vaqueros during non-conference play this fall. ACU won games one and two by scores of 25-23 and 27-25, but UTRGV cut its deficit in half with a 25-23 win in game three, tied the score at 2-2 with a 25-21 game four triumph, and hit .533 en route to winning the decisive set, 15-3.

With 25.5 points on the strength of 23 kills (.267), the Vaqueros were led in their comeback by Ragni Stenn Knudsen. UTRGV additionally received 18 points from Barbara Silva (.414, 16 kills), and 15.5 points from Alisha Watson (12 kills, 11 digs, three aces).

For the Wildcats, double-digit kill totals were posted by Jacey Smith (13), Lauren Walker (11), Corinne Grandcolas (10) and Marybeth Sandercox (10).