Clean Sweep Saturday by Volleyball Team

Southwestern Takes Pair from 'Saders, Lady Steers

WAXAHACHIE, Texas -- Less than 24 hours after their a masterful effort in a 3-2 upset of Wiley College, the Lady Lions of Southwestern Assemblies of God University swept both Dallas Christian College and Texas College in women's volleyball.

Even with tri-captain stars, Middle Hitter Brittani Toole (Whitehouse, Tx / Whitehouse HS), Libero Jordan Briggs (Maypearl, Tx / Maypearl HS) and Outside Hitter Tina Brown (Seguin, Tx / Lifegate Christian) being withheld by head coach Hansford Moore, the team rolled past the DCC Crusaders 25-6, 25-7 and 25-7 during an 11am match. Team Lioness was able to play their entire bench at 4pm while besting Texas College 25-5, 25-15 and 25-15.

Seven-in-a-row in the FLC

It extended their home winning streak to seven straight. Now 7-1 in Sheaffer Full Life Center this fall, SAGU has three remaining home matches; October 26 against Texas Wesleyan, Oct. 29 vs. Our Lady of the Lake and November 4 with the University of Texas at Brownsville.

The twin-killing improved Southwestern's overall mark to 12-10 and their record in the Red River Athletic Conference to 4-3. SAGU is now tied in third with Wiley and Wesleyan. The team's ledger in actual games rose to 47-37, winning at a 56% clip.

SAGU 3-0 over Dallas Christian

The Lions hit a combined .347 in taking all three games, while also lacing a season-high 21 aces against the 'Saders. Their previous high was 14, also against DCC. The Purple Pride have reached double-figures in service aces eight times in their 22 matches.

Brittany Briggs (Maypearl, Tx / Maypearl HS) and Laura Espinoza (Duncanville, Tx / Duncanville HS) had six aces apiece to lead SAGU, with the latter taking over the team lead for the year with 30. Caitlyn Hudson (Mansfield, Tx / Legacy HS) stroked five unreturnables from the backline herself. Beka Dollar (Weatherford, Tx / Brock HS) added two, while junior Krystal Cisneros (El Paso, Tx / Del Valle HS) got a rare serving chance, and was also good for a pair.

Stephanie Pena (San Antonio, Tx / Clark HS) and Cisneros led the way with a game-high seven kills. Pena (pronounced PAIN-ya) hit .364 and added a block. Dollar was on the money, cashing in all six of her swings for kills! The freshman had five digs too. Kassy Cox (Lufkin, Tx / Lufkin HS) was 4-of-5 in attacks, for a .600 hitting percentage.

Taylor Calverley (Mansfield, Tx / Grace Prep) accounted for 26 assists.

Briggs, a freshman, had a solid floor game, serving for six points, making four kills, one block, one assist, and going 4-of-4 in her passes. Espinoza was the game's top point producer, earning a dozen as a server. She was 6-of-6 in passing and led everyone with seven digs.

Freshman Devan Guynes (Red Oak, Tx / Red Oak HS), who suffered a pulled hamstring on Friday night, missed Saturday's action while on crutches. She will see a physician this week, when she'll likely have an MRI on her leg. (Note: No MRI was needed. Listed as a strained hamstring. Will rehab until reactivated.)

SAGU 3-0 over Texas College

The Lions were the aggressors out of the gate during a 25-5 triumph in the first set. Coach Moore divided playing time among his eleven available players. By the conclusion of the three-games, Southwestern had hit a collective .321 and rocketed 10 aces.

Hudson led everyone in spikes for points, blasting a dozen. After overcoming a broken bone in her foot that slowed her in September, she has reached double digits in kills six times, five of them occurring in the most recent ten matches.

Cox powdered 11 kills in 20 attempts, with only one hitting error during a .500 showing. It was the freshman's seventh double-figure night in kills, and her third in the past six matches.

A regular source of power, Toole generated 11 bolts of thunder as she hit .346. She added four blocks on the defensive side of the net. Toole has been counted on for 3.8 kills per individual game, which is the best of any player in the conference and ranks her 31st in the NAIA nation.

Cisneros registered 7 kills and a pair of blocks to finish the weekend with 11 rejections. She now has at least one block in 21 of the 22 matches this fall.

Calverley had a sizzling 37 assists against the Crusaders, a 12.3 average per game. The 5'10 freshman now carries an RRAC leading 9.2 average, good for 44th in the country. The 12.3 effort would lead the country if done regularly! She racked up five aces while serving for 21 points.

Brown made a game-best 14 defensive digs while Espinoza bagged 12 and eight points serving. The latter had the best passing effort on the team against DCC when she made good on all six of her pass attempts.

Taking to the Road

The Lady Lions play four matches this weekend, all on the road. On Thursday they are in Bethany, Oklahoma to face Southern Nazarene (15-11). Friday, October 15, SAGU tangles with John Brown University (15-9) in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Those two matches both start at 7:00pm.

Southwestern has two on tap for Saturday in Muskogee, Oklahoma. At 11am they clash with conference foe, Bacone College (4-18) on their home court, and then meet McPherson College (12-9) at 1:30pm. They remain away from home the next week as well with scheduled matches in Austin and Houston.

The Pride has three home tilts yet to be played; Oct. 26 vs. Texas Wesleyan, Oct. 29 vs. Our Lady of the Lake and Nov. 4 vs. UT-Brownsville.