ABILENE - Abilene Christian volleyball rallied from a two-set deficit to secure a 3-2 win over Southern Utah at Moody Coliseum on Thursday night. It marked the Wildcats' first reverse sweep since a 3-2 win over California Baptist on Nov. 2, 2023.
Ashli Edmiston, a senior, clinched the victory with her 17th kill of the match on a call that was overturned upon review. It was the 700th kill of her career, advancing her to eighth in career kills in ACU's Division I record book.
It was ACU's first five-set win of the season in five such matches, as well as its first victory in 10 instances after dropping the first set. For the first time in eight such matches, the Wildcats earned a win after trailing through three sets.
The Wildcats outdid the Thunderbirds in kills, 53-43, with nine service aces.
Brennan Ramirez was responsible for five of ACU's kills, setting a career high.
Edmiston led the Wildcats in kills for the third match in a row, doing so at a .282 hitting percentage.
Annaleise Sevier added 10 kills at a .250 clip, while
Hannah Gonzalez collected eight kills with a solo block and two block assists.
Aubrey Beaver matched her career best with three blocks.
Rachel Koss recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 28 assists and 10 digs.
Southern Utah came roaring out of the gates, jumping to a 13-3 lead and leading by as much as 11 points at 20-9 before ACU found its footing. The Wildcats clawed back with a 10-3 run to get within four points, but the Thunderbirds scored the last two points of the set to claim a 25-19 win.
Four ACU players recorded two kills apiece, while three registered aces. Beaver added a solo block.
The second set proved to be a tighter affair than the first, as the Wildcats grabbed a slight 11-9 edge before a 6-2 run strengthened their lead to 17-11. The Thunderbirds battled back, though, launching a 9-1 rally to grab a 20-18 advantage. ACU got within a point several times, but Southern Utah held on to grab a 25-21 victory.
Both teams remained neck and neck throughout the third set, with the Wildcats grabbing a 15-13 lead at the midway point. A 5-1 Thunderbird run pushed them ahead, 18-16, but ACU came back and controlled the tempo the rest of the way. It secured nine of the last 10 points of the set to fend off a sweep and clinch a 25-19 win.
Edmiston and
Avery Thaler totaled seven kills as the Wildcats notched three aces.
The Wildcats rode their momentum into the fourth set, taking an 11-6 lead before a 5-1 Thunderbird lead brought them within two points at 12-10. ACU answered with an 8-1 run that built its cushion to 20-11. The Wildcats kept Southern Utah at bay for the remainder of the period, forcing a decisive fifth set with a 25-16 victory.
ACU was fueled by four kills apiece by Sevier and Gonzalez, with Edmiston adding three. Ramirez registered two aces in the period.
After turning a 2-0 deficit into a tie match, the Wildcats were blazing hot to begin the final set. They picked up the first 10 points of the period and held off the Thunderbirds en route to a match-clinching 15-6 win. Edmiston tallied six kills in the fifth set alone.
ACU aims for its first three-match winning streak of the season when it hosts conference frontrunner Utah Tech at Moody Coliseum at 1 p.m. Saturday. The team will recognize Worldwide Wildcats to celebrate diversity across the ACU campus and the contributions of those of different cultures and backgrounds.
