Volleyball Stumbles in Lone Star Opener

DALLAS – In the Lone Star Conference opener, the St. Mary's Volleyball team lost a four-set match at DBU 25-23, 21-25, 25-16, 25-17.
 
Senior middle blocker Rachel McDonald (Indianapolis, Ind.) had a solid offensive night, recording a season-high six kills on 11 swings with just one error for a team-best .455 hitting percentage. Fellow senior Alissa Tolbert (San Antonio) led the Rattlers (6-2, 0-1 Lone Star) with 11 kills and 20 digs – tallying her seventh double-double of the year.
 
Sophomore Lindsey Ogle (Houston) also posted a season-high with nine kills and she led the way with two blocks. Junior libero Gabi Sandoval (San Antonio) was second in the match with 19 digs and both setters, Aislan Lennon (Houston) and Cali Nims (Orlando, Fla.) had 18 assists each. Sophomore defensive specialist Nadia Manitzas (San Antonio) had two of the team's three service aces.
 
Halee Van Poppel led the Patriots (2-0, 1-0 LSC) with 25 kills, while fellow outside hitter Audrey Nunes added 11. Four different players for DBU recorded double figures in digs, led by libero Leah Palensky with 18.
 
The Rattlers remain on the road, playing at Texas Woman's on Saturday at 2 p.m. The match will be a homecoming of sorts for StMU Head Coach Laura Ulrich who spent the previous four years as an assistant with the Pioneers.
 
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER & TEAM NOTES

• For the second time in three seasons, the Rattlers have dropped the Lone Star Conference opener to the Patriots. In 2019, the two teams also had a four-set match.
• Both Rachel McDonald (6) and Lindsey Ogle (9) collected season-highs in kills.
• Alissa Tolbert recorded the 32nd double-double of her career with 11 kills and 20 digs. It is also the seventh time in her career she's totaled at least 20 digs in a match.
• Nadia Manitzas has served multiple aces in each of the last three matches and in four of the last five. 
• Saturday will be the final of the 11-match streak to start the season on the road.