DALLAS, Texas – It was an electrifying finish to a thrilling match between Arlington Baptist University and Dallas Christian College on Tuesday night. DCC seemed to be in control and on its way to evening the season series at 1-1 after falling in Arlington two weeks ago. The Patriots answered by winning the third set by two points and fourth by three points. Down 14-11 and on the verge of a hard defeat, the Crusaders rallied to take a 15-14 lead. Each side exchanged nail-biting plays until the home team prevailed 21-19.
 
Lauren Baker and Christen Downey combined for 30 kills to pace the offense that had two more kills than ABU at 52-50. Downey matched Maya Harrington with three blocks, while Cameron Del Angel added two block assists. Del Angel joined senior teammate Elizabeth Morrow with eight kills apiece. Hannah Gallegos garnered 27 assists, which was three short of a season-high this year on September 11 at Manhattan Christian College. Kelly Graves contributed 15 assists. Six players for the Crusaders reached double-digits in digs that helped the team come within two of a triple-digit performance. Caitlyn Yablon paced the sextet with 24. Baker had 12 for a double-double in kills and digs. Downey also grabbed a double-double in both categories by picking up 10 digs. Olivia Withers and Raezellejace Leano were two freshmen with 11 apiece.
 
Downey posted a season-high in kills tonight and now has 63 this year at the friendly confines. Besides her efforts in the stat sheet, Downey has constantly been the loudest and gives energy on the floor to help her teammates out, which she was asked about following the win.
 
"My job as a middle is not always to hit it but to pull the block and that means to go in really hard and loud to slow the opponent's blockers down," Downey explained. "If I can do my job I am still helping my team and getting excited is just part of it."
 
DCC started off strong with the first three points and then would score eight-of-10 to get out to a commanding lead. The Patriots sliced into the DCC lead by making it a four-point deficit (10-6), but a kill by Downey opened a 15-8 advantage. An 11-2 run closed out the first set favoring the Crusaders.
 
In the second set, it was closer throughout as 11 ties occurred through the first 24 serves. Downey got a kill to even things at 12 and then made a solo block to grab the lead for the final time that frame. Del Angel and Downey added kills and then a hitting error capped a 5-0 run. DCC led by at least four from that juncture on until the 25-20 finish.
 
The Crusaders got the 1-0 lead in the third set, but five straight points shifted ABU to a position of control. Besides a 7-7 score, it was the Patriots that appeared to be making the necessary plays and would go on top as many as four several times including 18-14. Morrow and Harrington had a block make it an 18-17 game. A 5-2 run pushed Arlington Baptist to a 23-19 lead, but Del Angel started a 4-0 outburst with a kill to make it 23-23. ABU got a block assist by Peniah Waites and Madison Williamson. DCC stayed alive with Downey knotting things at 24. The last two points would go to the Patriots for a 26-24 final.
 
The fourth set started with DCC notching the first trio of points and would lead 9-3. Arlington Baptist pulled within a pair of points around the midway point and would tie things at 17. Leano served an ace to go up 19-17 after a Baker kill to force an ABU timeout. Morrow got a kill to open a 21-18 edge. Three straight points for ABU tied things at 21 and would spark five straight points and seven-of-eight to force a decisive fifth set.
 
ABU stayed hot with three points to start the last frame and would go in front 5-1. The Crusaders got within a point at 5-4, but were not able to piece together several points until faced down 14-10. A timeout by head coach Tyese Little and chants from a big crowd rang out saying "DCC" "DCC" "DCC" inspired hope for Dallas Christian. Downey tipped a ball over the ABU blockers to stay alive. Withers was on serve and three consecutive errors put DCC on top 15-14. The Patriots avoided losing at the time with a point to force ties at 15, 16, 17, and 18. A kill by Dallas Directo seemed to spell doom for DCC down 19-18, but errors by Emily Snyder flipped the score by one again and a hitting error by Waites finalized the score and had the home fans happy.
 
"It is so nice having a crowd," Downey praised. "Having that big crowd in the corner and seeing them stand up has you feel like they are behind you and are there for you and to push you."
 
The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Patriots.
 
"This game everyone wanted to win. Even when not winning, nobody gave up," Yablon said.
 
Downey added, "We kind of came back together, because we stopped talking in the third and fourth set but by the fifth we figured it out and started working together as a team."
 
Earlier in the day, the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA) released the division II power rankings, with DCC ranked number seven with 26 points, while ABU had the number five spot. DCC improved to 8-6, while the Patriots dropped to 10-8.
 
"Tonight said a lot about how the rest of this season is going to go as well," Yablon concluded.
 
Dallas Christian heads to Randall University this Saturday, October 9 for a crucial tri-match. DCC opens with Randall at 12 p.m., who the team defeated earlier this season, 3-1. Following that match will be Manhattan Christian College, which went five and was determined by a 15-13 setback.

"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."