DALLAS, Texas – The Dallas Christian College volleyball team earned a 3-1 victory over Brookhaven College on Friday afternoon. DCC started strong with victories in the first two sets at 25-14 and 25-18. However, the Crusaders dropped the third set by three, 25-22, despite trailing eight at junctures in the frame. The home team did not worry as it secured its third consecutive home victory with its widest margin on the scoreboard at 25-11.
 
Dallas Christian dominated the opening set with 17 kills, the most by either side in the contest. The team committed only one hitting error in 40 attempts for a .400 hitting percentage. Lauren Baker led the team with 15 kills. It was the seniors 10^th match this season to reach double figures in kills. Christen Downey followed with 11 kills, and Elizabeth Morrow completed the trio with 10. Hannah Gallegos notched 22 assists, while Kelly Graves had 16 off the bench. Gallegos has surpassed 20 assists in five contests this campaign.
 
Downey also came up big on the block with five total. Caitlyn Yablon picked up 27 digs to lead the Crusaders and it was her fourth highest total, but just three off from her season-best of 30. DCC eclipsed the century mark this game with 101 service aces. The team forced eight of them, which is not a season-high and that amount has now happened a second time. Two other games had the team serve nine and the highest mark this fall was 14 at Kansas Christian College. Gallegos was the highest individual in the game four. Olivia Withers increased her team-leading number to 26 with two in this game. Raezellejace Leano added two, which came at crucial times for DCC, including what helped put the second set away late.
 
In the first set, the Crusaders landed at a double-digit advantage by 15-5 and would go on to claim the early set lead. The second set was a bit tighter, as DCC led by no more than four until a 7-1 scoring swing finished things off. Yablon was on serve during the final 4-0 stretch, which included kills by Maya Harrington and Downey. Downey then joined Morrow on a block assist to grab the set-point.
 
The third set was the only time that DCC did not reach double-digits in kills and was also outdone by the Bears in that frame. Ahead 10-6, Brookhaven went up 13-5 to begin its largest lead of the day. After a service error, Yablon was on serve for the next three points that had Downey involved in two points with a block and kill. The Crusaders cut the deficit to 18-16 and then to three. Down 24-20, the next pair of points went towards the home side, but Jacinda Garcia notched the winning kill of that set to avoid the sweep.
 
Trailing 5-4 in the fourth set, Baker knotted the score with a kill and Graves was on serve for the rest of the 6 straight DCC points. The Crusaders tallied 13 of the final 14 points, which included six straight to finalize the match.

"That is what is so fun in sports. You never know what is going to happen," Morrow stated. "You always have to keep that confidence up and going set-to-set no matter who the opponent is."
 
Dallas Christian improved to 11-7 overall and 5-2 at the friendly confines.
 
Saturday marks "Senior Day" for five DCC student-athletes. Forming the quintet are Yablon, Morrow, Baker, Cameron Del Angel, and Keely Price. They will be honored around 10:50 a.m. with the start of the match versus Texas Christian College to follow about 10 minutes later.

"I feel old. It is kind of surreal," Del Angel reflected. "It feels like just the other day was having senior day in high school. The reality that is not going to happen again and I am grateful got to come to DCC and play."

"My family is actually on its way here right now so actually really thankful," Price gleamed. "I am happy they can come and support me and seeing the school come together to support us."

 "Dallas Christian educates and mentors students to be people of influence engaging in their calling to the work of Christ in the church and in the world."