Dallas Christian College volleyball earned a 3-1 victory at home over Arlington Baptist University in a Tuesday night conference match. The set scores were 25-17, 16-25, 25-13, 25-23. Playing with just eight players, the Crusaders were led by a trio of players combining for 32-of-40 kills and capitalized on errors by the Patriots to claim a season sweep 2-0.
In the opening set, DCC allowed the first point but quickly recovered on a Summer Doty kill to knot the score again. This put Elizabeth Morrow on serve for the next six points to help spark a 7-1 start to the frame. A run by the Patriots helped eventually tie things at 13, but a Doty kill prevented any lead change from occurring. Morrow put her squad up 16-14 and gave Dallas Christian a side-out to put her on serve for the next quartet of plays. The home side extended the gap for good with her on serve to 19-14, and the team closed the set out on a 10-3 scoring swing.
The Patriots battled to even the second set, but it was all Crusaders in a third responsive set. Like the other odd numbered set, DCC erased a 1-0 deficit and Morrow was on serve and orchestrated a run to a 6-1 advantage. The lead grew to a commanding 13-4 margin. Doty was also on the serve during four plays in a row to help that lead swell. DCC held a double-digit edge at 19-9 and was up by as many as 12, which was the final score of the set.
The deciding set was the closest throughout with Dallas Christian gaining an 8-5 edge after being knotted at five. Christen Downey had the go-ahead kill and the Crusaders never were behind in the set. DCC never clawed away by more than three points but also maintained at least a one-point lead until three in a row by the Patriots made it 20-all on a kill from Ashleigh Sulak. DCC's Baker answered on the next play with a kill and the team's exchanged points until an attack error gave the Crusaders a chance at the winning point. After an Arlington Baptist timeout Caitlyn Yablon, the DCC libero, would end the game with a lethal service ace.
Doty stated, "We had less girls but we came together stronger." She added that the team is looking forward to having a big home fanbase on their senior night next week.
"There was a solo block on one of my sides," Downey recalled on her coverage in the front row. "Just running back and forth and covering and being there for my team."
Baker recorded a team-high 13 kills and added nine digs, while Downey also was in double-digits with 11 kills to go with five blocks. Two of Downey's blocks were solo. Morrow rounded out that trio mentioned above contributing to DCC's 32 kills with eight of her own. Yablon had a game-high 35 digs, while Morrow (14) and Doty (12) surpassed double-digits. Hannah Galegos was solid as a setter with 28 assists.
Arlington Baptist was led by Peniah Waiters and Jaycie Peavey with 14 and 10 kills, respectively. The team totaled 96 digs with four players having at least 11. The team leaders were Megan Ross (23) and Aubrey Grantham (21).
"The team had a strong start," Head Coach Tyese Little said. "We dropped the second set, but the team recollected themselves and got the job done!"
Dallas Christian improves to 7-5 overall, while Arlington Baptist dropped to 4-9.
Dallas Christian has two matches remaining this regular season with one away and one at home. The Crusaders are at Oklahoma Wesleyan this Friday, October 23 at 4 p.m. The team will have their senior night match on Halloween against Randall University at 11 a.m.
