VB swept in Alamo City, 3-0

SAGU edged in three close games

Lady Lions home on Tues. and Thurs.

WAXAHACHIE, Texas  --  There was plenty of fuzzy math in the box score to suggest a one-sided contest. The game scores, however, proved just the opposite.

One thing was clear, Southwestern Assemblies of God University finished on the short end of a three-set sweep to Our Lake of the Lake University.

The Lady Lions lost 22-25, 23-25 and 23-25; a narrow seven points separating the two teams in the battle for fourth place in the Red River Athletic Conference.

SAGU is now 14-12 overall and, at 5-3, are in sixth place in the RRAC. OLLU improved to 11-13 and 6-2. Both teams have only three league matches remaining.

The top six teams earn a berth in the RRAC tournament, November 9-10, in Fort Worth.

If the season ended today, the Lady Lions would face #3 St. Thomas (16-10, 7-2 in RRAC) in the quarterfinals. (See the RRAC Top 6 in the standings below)

In Saturday night’s match at the Mabee Gym in San Antonio, statistics show OLLU hit a sizzling .478 compared to SAGU’s .234; an anomaly considering the close scores.

The Lady Saints swung only 67 times (22 per game), and racked up 47 kills while making 15 errors. The .478 percentage was their third best in 2012.

The Lady Lions, meanwhile, had 111 attacks (37 per game), 38 resulting in kills (points) against only 12 miscues. Their .234 was their eighth highest this season.

As for the three games, the Saints played very well behind their 5-2 scheme of two setters and six-foot middle blocker Christine Ruckman.

She dominated inside, hitting .458. She registered 17 kills in just 24 swings. The senior’s performance won her the RRAC Player of the Week and Hitter of the Week awards.

The transfer from Prairie View A & M is fourth in the conference in hitting with a .282 average.

SAGU was led by sophomore Jessica Sodich (Ovilla, Tx / Ovilla Christian) and junior Kassy Cox (Lufkin, Tx / Lufkin HS).

The pair rebounded from their combined effort of nine kills and 12 errors against UT-Brownsville on Friday to hit 28 and six.

Sodich had 18 kills, five hitting errors and a .351 night. She also made 11 digs.

Lone senior Caitlyn Hudson (Mansfield, Tx / Legacy HS) contributed seven kills and 14 digs.

Taylor Calverley (Mansfield, Tx / Grace Prep), the junior setter, was credited with 33 assists in three games.

Brittany Briggs (Maypearl, Tx / Maypearl HS) had a noteworthy showing at libero. The junior chipped in 10 digs and fired one of the team’s three aces. Sophomore Alissa Kirk (Pataskala, Oh / Gahanna Christian) served up the other two aces.

OLLU, who began playing in 2007, has now won five straight in the series with SAGU, taking 15-of-18 games in the process.

SAGU claimed victories in the first five meetings, also going 15-3 in those matches. Eleven games since 2008 have been decided by three-points or less.

Final 5 Matches are at home

Team Lioness has five matches remaining in the regular season, all at home. The last four home dates will be broadcast in HD on SAGU TV. (click on Watch SAGU TV from the website’s home page)

Fans can follow each match via LiveStats. Visit the RRAC website, click on Volleyball in the left column. Then, in the right panel under Schedule, click on LiveStats below the listing of the SAGU match.

SAGU is 6-1 inside the Sheaffer Center, the third best home winning percentage in the league.

This week they have two home dates on October 23 and 25.

On Tuesday they entertain Southwest Christian University (Okla) at 7:00pm (CST). They swept the Lady Eagles, 3-0, earlier this season in OKC.

SCU defeated Central Christian College (Ks), 3-0, in their most recent action. The Eagles are currently 2-23.

Longtime rival Southern Nazarene University visits town on Thursday at 7:00pm. Now in the Great American Conference as a member of the NCAA’s Division II, the Crimson Storm are 8-17 overall and 5-4 in the GAC.

The clash with Southern Nazarene will be aired in high definition on SAGU Sports Live. The NAIA’s best livestream production will begin with the pre-game show at 6:45pm.

SNU tamed the Lady Lions in Bethany, Oklahoma almost seven weeks ago, 3-0.

Contact: Mark “Link” Warde, SAGU Sports Information Director, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at 469-658-2847.

*clinched a berth in the RRAC Tournament