SEGUIN â€" The Texas Lutheran volleyball squad split its Saturday doubleheader in first day of the final SCAC Cross-Divisional matchup on Saturday. The Bulldogs fell 3-1 to No. 8 Colorado College before sweeping Austin College 3-0.
The split improved the Bulldogs' record to 16-10 overall and 5-7 in the SCAC. With just two more conference games remaining, the sweep against the 'Roos could play a huge factor in how the seeding for the conference tournament plays out. Coming into the match, the two teams were tied, so the win gave the Bulldogs a crucial leg up for the fifth spot in the standings.
Dallas, now just a game ahead of TLU, is one of two teams the Bulldogs will play tomorrow, so there is still more opportunity to move up the standings on Sunday.
Texas Lutheran defeated Austin College 25-20, 25-21, 25-20, thanks in large part to the offensive efforts of
Kristin Fording (San Antonio, Texas). The sophomore led the team with 15 kills on .314 hitting. She was the only player on either side to get to double-figure kills. Those 15 kills were the most she's tallied in more than a month, since recording 19 in a mid-September clash against Southwestern.
The Bulldogs also distributed the ball well, with
Katie Darst and
Kelcie Ingram combining for a very strong effort from the setter position. Darst (Euless, Texas) led all players with 19 assists, while Ingram (Cibolo, Texas) finished with 15.
Megan Dugie (San Antonio, Texas) led the Bulldogs with 17 digs.
Perhaps the key moment in the match came in the second set. After controlling the first frame virtually the entire time, the Bulldogs found themselves trailing 15-8 in set no. 2. They scored six of the next seven points to get within two points at 16-14, but still couldn't gain the lead. The 'Roos continued to hold a 21-20 lead, but TLU finished strong, ripping off five straight points to end the set.
In the first match of the day, the Bulldogs fell 19-25, 25-20, 21-25, 23-25 to No. 8 Colorado College. The difference in the match really came in hitting percentage and blocks. The Tigers hit .145 while the Bulldogs hit .128, and TLU was out-blocked 8-4.
The Bulldogs did well to keep possessions alive, racking up 111 digs, a number tied for the second-highest total this season. Four different players ended up with at least 16 digs. Ingram led the team with a career-high 27, blowing away her previous career high of 12.
Megan Lee (Universal City, Texas) was right behind Ingram with 24.
Fording tallied her second career double-double with 20 digs to go along with 12 kills. She, along with
Brette Threadgill (Sinton, Texas), tied for the team lead in kills.
Once again, it was the setter tandem of Darst and Ingram running the offense for the Bulldogs. Darst led the way with 18 assists, while Ingram tallied her first career double-double by notching 16 assists of her own.
Texas Lutheran has two more conference games remaining on its schedule. It will take on both Centenary and aforementioned Dallas tomorrow afternoon. The Bulldogs will face Centenary at noon before closing against Dallas at 4 p.m. Live stats will be available via tlubulldogs.com.
