SHSU’s defense started off slow and the Bearkats were unable to get a run going in the first set. Freshman outside hitter Jordyn Vaughn gave SHSU its first kill of the match at 1-2.
ACU took the lead at 9-10 early in the set and from there on it was back and forth rallying point for point.
Junior middle blocker Carling Urben had a kill which tied the game at 28-28.
ACU’s junior setter Sarah Siemens had an attack error giving SHSU its fourth set point to win 30-28.
Sophomore Breanna Homer gave the Bearkats a 2-0 lead in the second set.
ACU was down 11-7 but sophomore outside hitter Dorothy Swanson served six times to tie the game at 12-12.
The Bearkats took a crucial timeout down 20-18.
Service error after service error, ACU had set point at 22-24.
Vaughn gave the Bearkats a lasting opportunity with a kill.
Senior outside hitter Deveney Wells-Gibson ended the second set 29-27.
The Bearkats were fired up in the third, pulling ahead with a 5-1 lead.
ACU never tied or led the entire third set.
At 23-13, ACU tried to fight back with senior outside hitter Taylor Nix serving seven times making it 23-18.
Sophomore middle blocker Shelby Genung ended the serving streak with a kill, giving SHSU set and match point.
ACU held SHSU at match point three times until sophomore defensive specialist Brooke Ray served into the net.
The Bearkats won 25-20.
Wells-Gibson led the Bearkats with 19 kills. Vaughn and Urben shared nine kills, and Genung finished with seven kills.
Michelle Griffith totaled 45 assists and Claire Kilpatrick ran the defense with 17 digs.
There were a total of 31 tied scores and 17 lead changes for the match.
Head coach Brenda Gray admits that her team didn’t connect well at all and at times were playing lazy.
“The best part about that deal is we came out on top and protected this house,” she said.
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