TLU Volleyball concludes season, falls short of SCAC tournament

SHREVEPORT, La. -- The Texas Lutheran Volleyball completed their 2018 season on Sunday afternoon after splitting a pair of five-setters against Centenary College and Austin College in the final Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference crossover. 

At the Centenary College Gold Dome, TLU came from behind in the final game to defeat the Ladies 11-25, 25-21, 22-25, 25-13, 15-12. TLU trailed 4-2 and 5-3 in the final game.

Texas Lutheran was led by Peyton Sulak (Needville/Needville) who hammered home 14 kills while hitting .480. She also notched seven blocks (1 solo, 6 assists) on the day.
 
Three more Bulldogs tallied double-digit kills in the match. First-year player Kacie Hall (Buda/Hays) recorded 11 kills as fellow freshmen Savhannah Kitchens (Inez/Industrial) and Madison Weisinger (Friendswood/Friendswood) each notched 10 kills. Weisinger added five digs, three block assists, and two serving aces. 
 
Kelly Jurden (Brenham/Brenham) was outstanding against the Ladies, running the offense and dishing out a season-best 44 assists. She tallied her 13th double-double, notching 10 digs while also recording two aces and a block assist.

One of the key players against Centenary was junior libero Jaci Chambers (Baytown/Goose Creek Memorial), who finished with 26 digs to go along with a team-best three aces and a kill for good measure.

Against the Kangaroos, TLU mounted a furious comeback, but that effort fell just short as the Bulldogs fell 23-25, 25-12, 25-15, 14-25, 15-9.

The Bulldogs nearly completed an epic comeback to advance to the SCAC Championship Tournament. The key came with their defense. In the first set, TLU hit above .200. In the second and third sets, both sets that AC would win, the Bulldogs were held to less than .172 hitting, including a .065 second set. TLU battled back in the fourth and held the 'Roos to a -.071 hitting. In the final game, AC notched .261 hitting to TLU's .045.
 
The blocking game wasn't a huge factor for either team, with a combined 13 blocks coming in the match. TLU finished with six, while AC finished with seven. Both teams got to many attack attempts though, digging up balls and keeping rallies going. The Bulldogs finished with 78 digs.

Chambers led the way with 32 digs, while Remy Corbin (Austin/Westwood) chipped in with 17. 

TLU received 11 kills from both Weisinger and Bryten Mitchan (San Antonio/Highlands). Hall and Cailey Young (New Braunfels/New Braunfels) each added seven kills for the Bulldogs offense.

Weisinger paced the Bulldogs with 15 total points. She recorded two aces and four block assists.

AC finished with 69 total points to TLU's 60. The 'Roo also out-hit the Bulldogs (.162 to .140) and led in aces (15-5) and in digs (81-78).