Another winning V-Ball season for SAGU

Streak against Jarvis now at 10 straight

Career tribute for senior Caitlyn Hudson

WAXAHACHIE, Texas  --  Southwestern Assemblies of God University made quick work of Jarvis Christian College on Saturday afternoon in a three-game volleyball sweep.

The “Senior Day” however, belonged to lone honoree Caitlyn Hudson (Mansfield, Tx / Legacy HS).

The Lady Lions won the best of five match with scores of 25-11, 25-11 and 25-14, their 10th consecutive victory over the Lady Bulldogs. The triumph capped a regular season with the team’s tenth 3-0 win.

SAGU, 17-14 overall and 7-4 in the Red River Athletic Conference, finished in a 5th place tie with Texas Wesleyan University (18-14, 7-4 in RRAC).

The Lady Rams own the tie-breaker over SAGU by virtue of their 3-2 win in the Sheaffer Center on September 25.

The top six teams in the RRAC continue their season this weekend in Ft. Worth at the conference tournament.

SAGU receives mail at the post-season venue, having qualified for the event in eight straight years, a strong statement of the program built by Head Coach Hansford Moore.

Click here for the tournament brackets

The Lady Lions united to hit .382 in the three games that saw them make only nine errors while thumping 43 kills. Jarvis (1-15, 1-10 in RRAC), who returned their volleyball program after a two-year break, managed an .062 attack percentage.

Coach Moore inserted 12 players in the fray.

Middle Blocker Kassy Cox (Lufkin, Tx / Lufkin HS) assembled a solid performance with 13 kills and a .478 hitting effort that included only two errors. The 6-foot-1 junior added a solo and two assisted blocks.

Including her 12 kill, zero error outing earlier in the day against Texas College, she had 25 and two! Caliente!

Sophomore Jessica Sodich (Arlington, Tx / Ovilla Christian) contributed similar numbers with 12 kills and a .375 attack. She won the conference title for averaging the most kills per game with a splendid 4.2.

The spotlight, however, deservedly shone on the team’s only senior.

Hudson racked up 12 kills and hit .391 with a single error on the frontline. She showed her wares at the back as well, with eight digs and four of the team’s nine service aces. She is tops on the team in aces with 35.

Setters Taylor Calverley (Mansfield, Tx / Grace Prep) and Caitlin Paschall (Waxahachie, Tx / Midlothian HS) both did well, with 28 and eight assists respectively. The latter (pictured below setting the ball) also had a solo block at the net.

Other noteworthy feats were from Emmalee Smith (Red Oak, Tx / Red Oak HS) and Jessie Giese (Tulsa, Ok / Union HS). Smith led the team with nine digs while Giese (GHEES, like geese) needed only four swings to nail three kills!

Smith and Brittany Briggs (Maypearl, Tx / Maypearl HS) both fired a pair of aces.

Recognition for Hudson

Hudson was introduced prior to the match, along with her parents, and presented with a bouquet of flowers from the coaching staff and teammates.

This season has witnessed her hitting percentage of .228 increase almost ninety points higher than her previous year. It was a career year in which she hammered 360 kills, 70 more than last year, even while playing less.

While her statistical totals will increase during post-season action, she moved into 3rd on the school’s all-time kills leaders with 1,170.

When the season began Coach Moore said she would likely finish in the Top 5 in three major categories; kills, digs and aces.

One of the best compliments of her four year career, all in the starting line-up, came from an opposing coach.

While in town to play SAGU two weeks ago, Southern Nazarene University’s veteran Head Coach Kevin Ingram gave Hudson glowing praise.

“Caitlyn is truly a talented player that any team has to account for,” he said after the match. “She has the ability to make all the shots, and if not accounted for, has the ability to blow up a defense.”

“I have always had huge respect for her. In game-planning against SAGU you have to know where she's at, and where she's capable of going.”

“In looking for players that can continue to help our programs grow, we are always looking for those special athletes,” Coach Ingram added. “Caitlyn is a great example of a truly gifted athlete, and a great find on Coach Moore's part!”

“She has had a great career at SAGU, and I know she will be missed.”

Red River Tournament, Nov. 9-10

SAGU will take on Houston’s University of St. Thomas (17-15, 8-3 in RRAC) in the tournament quarterfinals on Friday.

The match is set for a 1:30pm start at Texas Wesleyan’s Sid Richardson Center, a 45-minute drive northwest on highway 287. (Exit right onto Rosedale, then left (north) onto Collard. SRC will be on the left).

The Lady Lions will face Wiley College (22-7, 10-1 in RRAC) at 7:00pm in Friday’s semi-finals provided they can get past UST.

They have edged the Celts twice this season, both times going the distance for 3-2 wins.

In their first meeting (October 6) in Houston, SAGU dropped the first and fourth games, 18-25 and 17-25, and won the middle pair 25-21 and 25-14.

SAGU then won the pivotal fifth, 15-10, in the non-conference match.

A week later (Oct. 13) the teams dittoed their performance.

St. Thomas won games one and four; both with 25-17 scores, while Team Lioness claimed 25-15 and 25-18 middle victories.

The decisive fifth went to SAGU, 15-13.

Their third encounter comes with much higher stakes.

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.

The 2012 Final RRAC Regular Season Standings