SHERMAN, Texas – The Celts of the University of St. Thomas dropped a pair of close matches to open the 2019 season Friday at the Austin College Classic.
UST fell to Nebraska Wesleyan in four sets Friday afternoon, and dropped a heartbreaking five-set match to East Texas Baptist in the evening match.
The Celts will play two more matches Saturday at the Austin College Classic. UST faces LeTourneau at 11 a.m., and then will conclude the event with a 3 p.m. match against Concordia Texas.
Nebraska Wesleyan 3, St. Thomas 1
The Celts won their first set as an NCAA Division III program but were unable to fend off a comeback by their opponents from the Midwest in the morning contest.
Scores of the match were 19-25, 25-20, 25-18, and 25-15.
In her first official collegiate match, Alaina Lanik recorded a double-double with 18 digs and 10 kills. Her 10 kills came against only one hitting error as she hit .281 for the match.
Nebraska Wesleyan hit .375 as a team in set two, and .424 in the final set of the match.
Emily Jaroszewski put away seven kills for the Celts, while Kelsie Walker had four kills on five attempts in addition to 13 assists. Kaylyn Latin led the defensive effort with 21 digs, and Alyssa Ajlouny (pictured) chipped in 15 digs.
East Texas Baptist 3, St. Thomas 2
Fans who stayed to watch the late match between East Texas Baptist and UST were treated to a nailbiter contest as the last three sets were decided by the minimum two points.
ETBU prevailed by scores of 25-19, 20-25, 25-23, 23-25, and 17-15.
Ajlouny knocked down a career-high 21 kills for the Celts, tripling her previous best of seven set last year against Huston-Tillotson. Jaroszewski and Annie Woods put away 11 kills apiece.
Lanik handed out 28 assists and tallied 11 digs for second consecutive double-double. Latin recorded 42 digs to lead the UST defense.
The Celts were on the brink of victory in set five when an ETBU attack error gave UST a 14-13 lead, but two Tiger points gave the advantage back to UST's opponents. Ajlouny's 21st kill tied the score at 15 before ETBU finished with the last two points.
