SHREVEPORT, La. – The Dallas Christian College volleyball team wrapped up the regular season on Wednesday, October 27, at NCAA Division III Centenary College. It was the second time these teams had met, as the Crusaders fell in four sets at DCC earlier in the year. That matchup was a 3-0 sweep for the Ladies, as they celebrated their Senior Night.
The Crusaders have fallen in the past three games over two weeks, all on the road. It started with a five-set loss at Paul Quinn College. Then later that week, the Crusaders played another Crusaders team in NCAA Division III foe University of Dallas. It was also Senior Night for that Dallas team, as it swept DCC. Below are brief recaps of the three games.
Dallas Christian at Paul Quinn (Loss, 3-2)
The set scores were: 20-25, 25-17, 24-26, 26-24, and 10-15.
Dallas Christian was involved in two sets that were decided by two points, one going each way. A team known for its offense, the Crusaders eclipsed double-digits in kills in just the fourth set.
Cameron Del Angel led the offense with 13 kills for a season-best.
Christen Downey also broke into double figures with 11.
Kelly Graves was the starting setter and had 21 assists.
Taylor Gary contributed 16.
Dallas Christian at University of Dallas (Loss, 3-0)
The set scores were: 11-25, 15-25, 13-25.
While the set scores were lopsided, it was tight in the early going. In the first set, DCC took the first point and grabbed an early 3-1 advantage before the home Crusaders rattled off six straight points to swing the momentum. Five more points out of the next six would break the frame open.
In set two it was DCC scoring two points to make it a 2-1 edge. Del Angel tied things with a kill and
Raezellejace Leano served an ace. It was UD that rattled five straight points to go up 6-2. A couple of error placed the visiting Crusaders to 6-5 deficit. DCC would keep the score within a pair before seven consecutive points lifted the home Crusaders ahead by nine (19-10). Back-to-back kills by
Elizabeth Morrow sparked a 3-0 run to make it 19-13, but the closest set of the match would end with a 10-point difference.
Del Angel and Morrow were tops in offense with four kills apiece.
Caitlyn Yablon led the defense with 10 digs and had two of the team's six aces.
Olivia Withers, Graves, Leano, and Downey also had one.
Dallas Christian at Centenary College (Loss, 3-0)
The set scores were: 11-25, 18-25, 15-25
Dallas Christian responded after matching the same final set score in the opening frame as at UD by making it a seven-point margin and then going down by 10 in the last one.
The Crusaders jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first set with Leano on serve for three of the points. Del Angel and
Lauren Baker also had kills. Centenary equaled the score at 4, but a few errors for the home team lifted DCC up as part of a 3-0 run.
Maya Harrington hit a kill to cap the run. The Crusaders withstood another three-point swing before Baker nailed a kill to make it an 8-7 edge. Centenary grabbed the momentum with 10 straight points and scored 18 of the final 21 points.
In the second set, the Crusaders notched the first two points and would maintain that margin through the first 10 serves. It was the Ladies that captured a lengthy run again with eight straight points and eventually take a nine-point lead with 12-of-13 scored. With a 23-12 deficit, the Crusaders got a kill by Baker to put Graves on serve and spark a four points in a row which was capped by an ace by the sophomore setter. Baker and Downey had a block assist and Downey had a kill to help the Crusaders score six of the final eight points. The Ladies would take the third set in commanding fashion.
The Crusaders tallied 20 kills, with Baker posting a team-high eight. Downey chipped in three kills and blocks. Yablon had 10 digs and Leano followed with nine.
Hannah Gallegos made nine assists.
Dallas Christian will look to get back on track for the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA) Southwest Regional Division II Championship on November 4-5. It will be hosted at DCC, where the Crusaders are 6-2 at. They also have gone 7-3 against regional opponents, but will draw a first round opponent in Barclay College that they did not face this season.
"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."
