Extra Points No Problem For Volleyball

Box Score OKLAHOMA CITY – The St. Mary's Volleyball team showed a ton of grit and determination on Saturday afternoon, winning in five sets at Oklahoma Christian to sweep the Eagle Invitational. The teams played three extra-point sets  to improve to 3-0 on the year, 26-24, 25-21, 26-28, 18-25, 18-16.
 
"I am so proud of the determination we played with this weekend," said Head Coach Laura Ulrich. "We faced adversity from multiple angles and chose to attack it head on. I'm very proud of our commitment to the process as a team."
 
Senior outside hitter Alissa Tolbert (San Antonio) tied her career-high with 20 kills – including three kills in the final six Rattler points of the match -- and added a career-best 24 digs to help lift the Gold & Blue to the victory. It is the second-time in her career she's totaled 20 or more in both categories as she had 20 kills and 21 digs against Newman on Oct. 20, 2018.
 
Right-side hitters Alicia Virthe (Orlando, Fla.) and Julia Aleman (San Antonio) each totaled double figures in kills with 13 and 10, respectively and junior libero Gabi Sandoval (San Antonio) tied for team-high honors with 24 digs – just one off her career-high of 25 from Friday against Lubbock Christian. 
 
Sandoval also tallied a career-high five aces – all coming in the third set – and tied for the third-highest total in StMU five-set history. Sophomore defensive specialist Nadia Manitzas (San Antonio) posted a career-high 15 digs, while sophomore setter Aislan Lennon (Houston) notched her third straight double-double of the season with 29 assists and 11 digs. Freshman setter Cali Nims (Corpus Christi, Texas) posted her first career double-double with 21 assists and 10 digs.
 
Freshman Meghan Stiefer (La Vernia, Texas) led the Rattlers with four blocks, while fellow middle blocker Josie Disponette (Wilmore, Kent.) added three stops – including two solo.
 
"We had several key performances from seniors down to freshman at different moments that were integral to earning these team wins," Ulrich added. "Coming out of the weekend 3-0 is a great feeling, but we already know the grind we have ahead of us in Lone Star Conference play and are ready to get back to work to continue preparing and pressing forward. I'm also proud of the way our staff handled business. I'm grateful for the expertise and perspectives that Sarah (Kuehn) and Dave (Ulrich) bring to the program."
 
The Rattlers battled back from a six-point deficit in set one to win 26-24. Trailing 17-11, StMU took advantage of an OC error as Nims stepped to the service line and rattled off six straight to tie the set at 17-17. During the streak, Aleman and Tolbert each had a kill while Tolbert and Stiefer combined on two blocks. After the Eagles stopped the streak with a kill, Stiefer responded with one of her own, then combined with Ogle on a block and Aleman added a kill for the two-point advantage, 20-18. The score was tied at 21, 22, 23 and 24 but the Rattlers scored the final two points for the 26-24 win.
 
The Eagles scored the first three points of the second set, but the Gold & Blue answered with three straight kills, one from Virthe and two-straight by Tolbert. The squads went back-and-forth when the Rattlers took their first lead of the set on a kill by Ogle and the scoreboard read 8-7. StMU took the final lead of the set at 12-11 on a Stiefer kill from the back row and went on to win 25-21.
 
Trailing 3-2 in the third set, Sandoval stepped back to the line and served five aces in six points to stretch the advantage to 8-3. The Eagles scored four straight points to close within one, 11-10 and Coach Laura Ulrich called a timeout. Aleman blasted a kill after the short break to push the lead back to two, 12-10. The Rattlers won seven of the next nine points to extend the lead to seven, 19-12, but the Eagles fought back to knot the score at 20. The teams were tied at 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 before OC won two straight to force a fourth set, winning 28-26.
 
OC jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the fourth set and never trailed, winning 25-18 to set up the deciding fifth stanza.
 
The clubs went back-and-forth through the beginning, with four ties and three lead changes in the first nine points of the set. The Eagles opened up a three-point lead, 13-10, but two kills each from Virthe and Tolbert saw the fourth lead change and the 14-13 StMU advantage. The clubs traded points, with ties at 14-14, 15-15 and 16-16. A big block by Stiefer and sophomore outside hitter Lindsey Ogle (Houston) set up match point, which Aleman slammed for the victory.
 
St. Mary's remains on the road, traveling to Pittsburg, Kan., for the Gorilla Classic for four matches beginning on Friday against Truman State at 11:30 a.m.