LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play began this past weekend as Southwestern University and Trinity University each went 3-0 at the season's first SCAC Divisional at Southwestern. Trinity upset 16th-ranked Colorado College as well.
AROUND THE SCAC
Austin College 0-3 over the weekend, bringing the team’s record to 7-7 overall and 0-3 in conference play this season. The ‘Roos fell 3-1 to Southwestern, Colorado College and Trinity. The ‘Roos dropped their first match of the weekend against the Pirates 19-25, 25-20, 17-25, 13-25 with Ally Ahlberg recording a team-high 10 kills while Kelly McDaniel had 31 assists. Adrienne Reynolds had 17 digs in the match. The ‘Roos then fell by scores of 18-25, 14-25, 27-25, 16-25 to Colorado College before closing out the weekend with a 21-25, 16-25, 26-24, 23-25 loss against Trinity. In the match against Trinity, Shelby Eaves recorded a team-best 13 kills and added six digs and two service aces, and Bekah Newberry had 10 kills. McDaniel had 36 assists and Reynolds added 20 digs to lead the ‘Roos.
Centenary (0-15) finished the week 0-5, losing
both matches (Wiley 3-0, Texas Wesleyan 3-0) in its second
tri-match of the year at the Gold Dome. Centenary then dropped
three matches at the SCAC Divisional at Southwestern. The Ladies
fell to Dallas (3-0), #16 Colorado College (3-0) and Southwestern
(3-0). The Ladies return to action Oct. 2 when they travel to
Jackson, Miss. to take on Belhaven (Miss.).
No. 16 Colorado College opened SCAC action with a 2-1
record last weekend. The Tigers dropped their first match of the
week in a tough 3-2 loss to Trinity University on Friday, but
rallied back on Saturday to beat Centenary College, 3-0, and Austin
College, 3-1. Freshman Devon Lucero orchestrated the offense with
111 assists and also had a team-high 11 aces over three games.
Freshman Emily Phillips led the CC attack during the week with 27
kills. Sophomore Julia Lawton led the back row with 58 digs, while
sophomore Randi Braak had eight blocks to lead the team on defense
at the net. The Tigers are now 10-4 on the season and 2-1 in
conference play. Colorado College continues on the road as it
travels to Oregon to play four matches in four days on Sept. 27-30.
CC begins the week at George Fox University at 7 p.m. on
Thursday.
Dallas (8-7, 1-2 SCAC) went 2-2 the week in which they
began SCAC play. On Tuesday, Dallas notched a three-set victory
(25-14, 25-15, 25-19) over the Texas College. Friday brought Coach
Howard's squad to Southwestern University, where Dallas opened
conference with three matches over the weekend. The Crusaders
picked up a three-set win (25-15, 25-18, 25-15) over Centenary
College of Louisiana late Friday afternoon. Dallas fought hard in
their next match -- a bout versus Trinity University -- but fell in
straight sets (25-23, 25-20, 25-21) to the Tigers. The team's final
match of the weekend paired Dallas with host Southwestern
University. The Crusaders started strongly with a 25-21 set one
victory, but then dropped the next three sets (25-17, 25-18, 25-17)
to fall to the Pirates. On tap this week for Dallas are three home
matches -- Howard Payne University (Friday, 7 p.m.), Dallas
Christian College (Saturday, 11:30 a.m.), and LeTourneau University
(Saturday, 3 p.m.).
To open SCAC play, No. 25
Southwestern went 3-0 while hosting the Divisional
this weekend, defeating Austin College, Centenary and Dallas to
improve to 11-4 on the year and 3-0 in the SCAC. SU opened with
Austin College on Friday night and hustle was the difference maker
as the Pirates were all over the court defensively to win 3-1
(25-19, 20-15, 25-17, 25-13). Saturday Southwestern started the day
against Centenary College and easily won, 25-12, 25-11, 25-17.
Jenna Taylor posted a .583 hitting percentage in the match. After
dominating the opening match the Pirates were slow to start against
the University of Dallas and dropped the first set 25-21. The
Pirates regrouped and came out strong to easily win sets two and
three 25-17 and 25-18. Rachel Sellari helped the Pirates close out
the fourth set and the match with three late aces as Southwestern
won 25-17. Chandler Lentz had seven aces in the match for the
Pirates to added Sellari's three. Southwestern heads to Brownwood
on Tuesday night to face Howard Payne University before getting a
much needed weekend off.
Trinity opened up SCAC play with three wins at the SCAC
Divisional over the weekend, including a 3-2 come-from-behind win
over 16th-ranked Colorado College to start the tournament. The
Tigers have now won five of their last six matches –
including four consecutive wins. The Trinity Tigers fell behind 0-2
in the rematch of last year’s SCAC Championship, but Colorado
could not repeat its win from the end of last season. Trinity
rallied for three straight wins to pull off the upset. On Saturday,
the Tigers swept the University of Dallas 3-0, then finished with a
3-1 win over Austin College to take the early lead in the SCAC
standings. Trinity will host three different teams in
non-tournament action this week. The Tigers face Our Lady of the
Lake University on Wednesday night, then face Texas Lutheran
University and Schreiner University on Thursday night.
For the complete SCAC Spikes Weekly for Week 4,
click here.