@UDallasVball 3, Austin 0
IRVING, Texas – The University of Dallas volleyball team (8-6, 2-1 SCAC) edged out a 3-0 victory (25-20, 25-23, and 25-16) against Austin College (13-5, 1-2 SCAC) on Sunday afternoon.
The contest completed a successful 2-1 start in conference play, along with the same result in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Divisional No. 1. The Lady Crusaders split Saturday's opener, falling in three sets to No. 10 Colorado College, before roaring past Centenary College of Louisiana in a trio of rounds later in the day.
Seven-straight points overtook a kill by Austin College in the opening sequence, and forced an early timeout from the visitors. It proved effective, as the 'Roos rattled off six unanswered points to knot the contest once again. Austin would never lead by more than three, as the navy and white kept the first set within reach.
A pair of miscues by the 'Roos gave Dallas the advantage again, 15-14, and the next three-point swing raised the home squad's final momentum to take the beginning frame.
Set two was perhaps the most exciting, as the Lady Crusaders marched out to a 5-0 lead. Austin College once again nipped at the score, producing a 10-4 series after trailing as much as 12-6.
The programs from Texas didn't relinquish any momentum on either side, keeping the final score up in the air for either school to decide who wanted it more.
With the set-point within one score, Dallas surrendered three-straight points to pull the scoreboard to a 24-23 display favoring the navy and white. Things were closed out emphatically for the Lady Crusaders, due to a powerful block assist by senior middle-blocker Emily Caples (Walnut Creek, Calif.) and junior right side hitter Cat Dowgwillo (St. Louis, Mo.)
In the largest difference on the scoreboard, the Dallas volleyball team clinched a convincing, 25-16, result to win back-to-back matches and eight of the last ten.
Caples was the lone Lady Crusader to surpass double figures in kills with 11. Right behind her was junior middle-blocker Jaime Birzer (Ottawa, Kan.) with nine and season-leader on the team, sophomore outside hitter Mairin Guilfoyle (Roanoke, Va.) adding seven.
Helping combine for over half the team's 58 digs in the win, were sophomore libero Jessie Koster (Sherwood, Ore.) with 17 and classmate defensive specialist Allison Seager (Dallas, Texas).
The second-year player notched a season-high 12 digs, while senior setter C.J. Broadbent (Goodyear, Ariz.) posted a solid addition to her strong campaign off 33 assists.
Next opponent:
On Sept. 24, Dallas will travel to Hawkins, Texas for a duo of games on the day. Tuesday's first slate will feature Philander Smith College at 4 p.m. After that host school, Jarvis Christian College, will tip-off at 6 p.m. versus the Lady Crusaders.