OKLAHOMA CITY – The St. Mary's Volleyball team scrapped out another road victory on Saturday afternoon, winning in four sets at Oklahoma Christian, 25-21, 13-25, 25-23, 26-24.
The Eagles (7-15, 3-9 Lone Star Conference) actually scored more points than the Rattlers (11-7, 5-6 Lone Star), but the Gold & Blue bounced back from the lopsided second-set loss with their unrelenting defense.
Junior libero
Gabi Sandoval (San Antonio) grabbed a career-high 27 digs to lead the match, while outside hitters
Alissa Tolbert (San Antonio) and
Lindsey Ogle (Houston) were also in double figures with 17 and 10, respectively. At the net, sophomore
Josie Disponette (Wiltmore, Kentucky) led the team with four blocks – including a solo stuff on the next to last point.
Tolbert led the match with 17 kills and sophomore outside hitter
Julia Aleman (San Antonio) added 12. Ogle hit a team-best .241, recording just one error with eight kills on 29 swings.
Freshman setter
Cali Nims (Corpus Christi, Texas) had four of the team's five service aces – a new career-high – and she collected 20 assists, one shy of teammate
Aislan Lennon's (Houston) 21. In addition to the five aces, the Rattlers missed only one serve on the afternoon and had only two reception errors in 86 chances.
Nims served the first eight points of the first set, but the Eagles fought back, knotting the score at 13-13. The teams saw eight ties and four lead changes from there, however the Rattlers scored the final four points for the 25-21 win. Tolbert led all players with four kills in the opening stanza.
The Eagles tied the match after jumping out to the 7-2 lead in the second set. They went on to win 25-13.
A great challenge by Coach
Laura Ulrich late in the third set helped the Rattlers to the 25-23 win. A call that went the way of the Eagles originally would have brought them within one, 22-21, however Ulrich noticed the antenna moving, challenged and won that OC was in the net, giving the Rattlers the 23-20 lead. Tolbert posted kills in two of the final three points to give StMU the 2-1 edge.
Tied for the eighth time at 24-24, Disponette recorded a huge solo block and a tough serve by Tolbert forced the Eagles into a hitting error for the 26-24 victory. It was the only set in the match where the team to score the first point didn't win, as the Eagles grabbed the first two points.
St. Mary's returns to Bill Greehey hosting Midwestern State on Friday at 6 p.m. and Cameron on Saturday at 2 p.m.
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER & TEAM NOTES
- Gabi Sandoval recorded a career-high 27 digs, bettering her previous high of 25 from the season opener in the same gym against Lubbock Christian.
- Alissa Tolbert posted the 40th double-double of her career with 17 kills and 17 digs. She now has 15 on the season as well.
- Cali Nims recorded a career-high four aces, surpassing her previous high of three from the five-setter against West Texas A&M on Oct. 8.
- The Rattlers are now 2-0 against the Eagles in the all-time series with both victories coming this season. In both matches, OC scored more points than StMU, but the Rattlers won the overall match.
- The five Lone Star wins this season match the previous two seasons combined as the 2019 team won three and the 2020 team won two in a shortened season.
- All 13 players on the active roster saw action in at least two sets for the Rattlers.
