HOUSTON, TX-- The University of St. Thomas's Volleyball team fell to Texas Lutheran in a five-set SCAC match on Friday at the Jerabeck Activity and Athletic Center, dropping the match 3-2 (21-25, 25-18, 19-25, 25-14, 15-9). The Celts move to 3-8 overall and 2-3 in conference play.
UST opened the first set by trading points before Texas Lutheran moved ahead 4-1. The Celts stayed within reach with kills from Ariana Willis and Alexis Bodunrin, and a block by Ta'Niyah Johnson and Bodunrin tied the set at 7-7. Texas Lutheran later built a 12-8 lead, but kills from Katelyn Marti, Willis and Noor Haydari helped UST close the gap. With the score tied at 19-19, Bodunrin and Johnson delivered key kills as the Celts pulled ahead and closed out the set 25-21.
The Celts started the second set with a 2-0 advantage after a block from Bodunrin and Haydari. Texas Lutheran fought back to tie the score and eventually built a 9-6 lead. UST continued to answer with kills from Audrey Cataline, Haydari, Jada Stallworth and Bodunrin, but Texas Lutheran extended its advantage to 15-10 and maintained control. Marti added a late kill, and service aces from Alexie Martinez and Stallworth helped UST reach 18 points before Texas Lutheran won the set 25-18.
UST came out strong in the third set, taking a 7-1 lead behind four consecutive service aces from Cataline and a block from Willis and Haydari. Texas Lutheran rallied to tie the score at 7-7 and briefly moved in front, but Bodunrin answered with back-to-back kills and a service ace to help the Celts regain the lead. UST stretched its advantage to 18-13, with Willis contributing a kill and teaming with Johnson for a block. The Celts continued to build their lead and finished the set 25-19 on a service ace from Stallworth.
Texas Lutheran took control early in the fourth set, opening with a 2-0 lead. UST stayed close through the opening points, with Willis, Haydari and Bodunrin recording kills as the Celts reached 5-7. Brooke Barnes added a kill to bring UST within 6-8, and Haydari and Willis helped keep the Celts in contention. Texas Lutheran gradually widened the gap, however, moving ahead 16-10 and then extending its lead through the final points to take the set 25-14 and force a deciding fifth set.
In the fifth set, Willis put UST on the board first with a kill, but Texas Lutheran responded to take an early lead and move ahead 8-3. The Celts began to chip away at the deficit, getting a point on an opponent error before Cailin Brokaw helped UST reach 5-8. After Texas Lutheran extended the lead to 11-5, UST responded with points from an opponent error, a Marti kill and another point on an attack error to close the gap to 11-8. Marti added another kill to make it 9-12, but Texas Lutheran scored the final three points to win the set 15-9 and the match.
Bodunrin led the Celts with 16 kills, followed by Marti with 10 and Willis with nine. Stallworth recorded 18 assists, while Martinez added 12 and Brokaw finished with 11. Lange led the defense with 38 digs, followed by Bodunrin with 16 and Cataline with 13. Cataline also recorded four service aces, and Haydari led UST with four blocks.
Up Next
The Celts travel to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to face Colorado College on Sunday, October 11, at 2PM CT (1PM MT) in SCAC play.
