Women's Volleyball | 11/8/2019 11:29:00 PM

 
GOODWELL, Okla. – After dropping the first two sets of the evening, the Oklahoma Panhandle State Volleyball team saw its comeback bid fall short, losing the home Sooner Athletic Conference contest to Southwestern Christian University, 3-0. The Aggies (9-18, 6-13 SAC) fell to the Eagles (14-13, 9-10 SAC) by set scores of 25-21, 25-15, 23-25, 25-20 at Anchor D Arena.
 
With its back to the proverbial wall after losing the first two sets, Panhandle battled back in the third.  In the two opening sets, the Aggies led early and saw SCU comeback for the win. However, in the third, the tables were turned as OPSU took the lead at 7-6 and saw that increase to 9-6 on three-straight winning serves by Katelyn Faulk. Sydnee Saunders also strung together three-consecutive winning serves as Panhandle surged out to its largest advantage, 18-3.  The Eagles clawed back to within a single point, before a well-timed service ace by Keeley Johnston put the set in the Aggie column.
 
In the fourth set, SCU took the lead at 2-1 and never trailed as it closed out the match.
 
Saunders led the Panhandle State attack with 12 kills and a .212 hitting percentage for the night. She also had five digs and one ace to her ledger.
 
Hannah Murray was close behind with 11 kills. Murray boasted a team-best 21 digs, to go along with a pair of assisted blocks.
 
Seniors Ruth Ard and Kendra Butler – who were both honored in pre-game ceremonies – contributed eight and seven kills, respectively. Ard also got it done on defense, with six blocks, while Butler added two blocks.
 
Johnston had a match-leading total of 40 assists, along with 19 digs and two blocks. Richelle Carroll had six kills and seven digs, while libero Ashley Sanchez made 16 digs in the back row.
 
The Aggies will close out the regular season at home on Saturday (Nov. 9/1 p.m.) versus Oklahoma City University, the No. 18-ranked team in the nation for the NAIA.