ABILENE – Abilene Christian volleyball completed a 2-0 homestand Saturday night with a 3-1 comeback victory over its longtime rivals from Incarnate Word. The Wildcats bounced back from a 25-21 loss in the first set to win the next three by scores of 25-16, 25-20 and 25-17 in improving to 8-13 overall and 4-5 within the Southland Conference.
The loss dropped UIW to 4-14 and 3-8 as the Cardinals have now lost three straight series matches to the Wildcats dating back to 2015.
ACU hit .452 in the final set, driving in 17 kills on 31 attempts to hit .201 overall. Sophomore outside hitter
Marybeth Sandercox (12K, .292) recorded three kills late in the fourth set as part of a 16-8 run that gave ACU its largest lead of Homecoming evening at 23-15.
Jacey Smith brought the Wildcats to match point with her seventh kill, and an attack error by Hope Kelly sealed the victory.
Freshman
Lorin McNeil also drove in four kills during the final set in finishing with 7.5 points, while her fellow middle blocker
Lauren Walker led all players tonight with 16.5 points on 13 kills and seven block assists. Five of Walker's kills came in the second set, which the Wildcats started in a 5-3 hole before digging out with an incredible 15-5 run that featured three consecutive kills by Walker.
ACU later came back from a significant 14-8 deficit in set three. Back-to-back kills from Walker made it 14-10, and an ace from junior setter
Kendall Bosse cut the Wildcats' deficit to 16-15. Three attack errors by Autumn Lockley would eventually give ACU its first lead of the set at 19-18, and three straight blocks coming out of a UIW timeout helped ensure a 2-1 lead.
Walker and Sandercox teamed on the first block vs. Sarea Alexander, and Walker combined with Smith on the rejections of Kelly and Alexander. The third block of the series put ACU ahead 23-18, and Bosse won it four plays later with one of her three kills.
Bosse totaled 9.5 points vs. the Cardinals as she was part of five blocks (two solo) to go along with three aces. She also contributed 43 assists.
Sophomore libero
Amanda Chapa once again led her side in digs with 18 followed by Smith and Mueller (11K) with nine.
The Wildcats return to action next week with a Thursday / Saturday trip to Central Arkansas (8-2) and Northwestern State (7-3). ACU visits the Bears Thursday at 6 p.m. and the Lady Demons Saturday at 1 p.m.
