Bulldogs Split Day One of Trinity Fall Classic

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- The Texas Lutheran volleyball team opened the 2024 season by splitting the first day of the 2024 Trinity Fall Classic - losing to #RV SUNY-Cortland, 3-0, Friday afternoon before picking up their first win of the season with a five-set victory over the College of Saint Benedict on the campus of Trinity University in San Antonio.

Texas Lutheran was swept by 2023 NCAA Tournament qualifier SUNY-Cortland, who received preseason Top 25 Votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll, 21-25, 28-30, 23-25.

Victoria Powell (Richmond/Fulshear) led the Bulldogs with nine kills, while Brylie Nedd (Sealy/Sealy) and freshman Nadia Dunn (Houston/Pearland) finished with seven kills. Ryann Ely (Montgomery/Concordia Lutheran) added six kills while freshman Andie Lozano-Lomeli (Brownsville/Pace) finished with four kills.

Julia Chew (Cypress/Cy-Fair) finished with a team-high two service aces and dished out 12 assists while adding 12 digs for her first double-double of the season. Shavonne Respondek (San Antonio/Madison) and Faith Coldewey (Floresville/Floresville) tied for the team lead with 19 digs with Respondek dishing out 11 assists for her first double-double of the season.

The match was the same throughout all three sets as the teams traded runs throughout the duration of the sets before the Dragons would do just enough to close it out at the end of each set, taking advantage of Bulldog errors.

Texas Lutheran would not go home empty handed on Friday - responding with a five-set victory Friday night over the College of Saint Benedict Bennies. The Bulldogs survived the five-set thriller, 18-25, 25-15, 23-25, 25-17, 15-10 to improve to 1-1.

Senior Brylie Nedd led the Bulldogs with 14 kills, while Nadia Dunn joined her in double figures with 13 kills. Nedd tallied her eighth career double-double, adding 16 digs - matching her career-high.

Shavonne Respondek had her second double-double of the season and sixth straight dating back to last season with 21 assists and 14 digs, while adding four kills.

Faith Coldewey led the team with 21 digs and added four assists while Julia Chew led the team with 25 assists. Freshman Zaria Solis (Burnet/Burnet) led the Bulldogs with five blocks while Victoria Powell added four of her own.

The Bulldogs started slow in the first set and were unable to overcome a large deficit, falling 25-18. TLU was held to a .105 hitting percentage.

The second set was tightly contested to start before the Bulldogs closed on an 8-1 run to take the set, 25-15 with Victoria Powell leading the way with four kills.

TLU had another slow start in the third set, trailing by as much as 19-7 before battling back to 22-24 before ultimately falling, 23-25.

The fourth set saw the Bulldogs once again playing from behind - rallying from a 14-9 deficit to win the set 25-17.

The Bulldogs started strong in the fifth set, taking an 8-5 lead and building out to a 12-8 lead. Texas Lutheran would close the match with a 15-10 set win.

Texas Lutheran will conclude the Trinity Fall Classic with a Saturday afternoon matchup with #RV East Texas Baptist University, a 2023 NCAA Tournament qualifier, at 3:30 PM at Calgaard Gymnasium. All streaming and live stats links will be available on tlubulldogs.com.