SAN ANTONIO — After back-to-back matches with senior
Landri Withers recording career highs in kills, fellow St. Mary's University Volleyball senior
Landry Cate declared it was her turn, notching a career-high seven kills to finish second on the team in a four-set loss to Lubbock Christian on Friday, 25-15, 18-25, 10-25, 23-25.
The loss drops the Rattlers to 2-2 in Lone Star Conference play and 5-9 overall, while the Lady Chaparrals remain undefeated in league action at 3-0 and are 11-4 on the year.
Both Withers (Stephenville, Texas) and senior
Laurene Robinson (Bedford, Texas) tied for team-high honors with eight kills, while Cate (Hot Springs, Ark.) collected seven kills on 17 swings with only one hitting error for a team-best .353 hitting percentage. She also added four blocks on the night, as the Rattlers won the battle at the net, 8-to-6.
Both setters,
Haleigh Wilk (Salado, Texas) and
Liz Salinas (Helotes, Texas), recorded 17 assists, while senior libero
Alyssa Koehl (New Braunfels, Texas) led the team with 18 digs. Senior defensive specialist
Isabella Waggoner (Texas City, Texas) added a season-high 12 digs, and Robinson led the team with five blocks.
The first set was all Rattlers as they sided out at a 73 percent rate, and held the Lady Chaps to a 44 percent, but LCU flipped the script between sets one and two to win the next three, holding the Rattlers under a .100 hitting percentage in the second and third stanzas.
In addition to winning the blocking battle, the Rattlers also served more aces, 7-to-3, with senior
Dallasstar Johnson (San Antonio) and Withers each recording two. Johnson is now tied for 19th in StMU career history with 84, knotting Katelyn Kershner (2008-10), while Withers is tied for 21st on the list with Andy Salazar (1996-99) with 80 aces.
The Rattlers host Midwestern State on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Mustangs won in four sets over St. Edward's on Friday evening.
