LUBBOCK, Texas – A two-sets-to-none lead forged in part due to a defense that held its opponent to a -.167 hitting percentage was unable to hold up against the charge of the Lubbock Christian Lady Chaps, who came back to defeat the Texas A&M-Kingsville women's volleyball team, 11-25, 12-25, 25-19, 25-21, 15-8 on Tuesday night in Lone Star Conference action at the Rip Griffin Center in Lubbock, Texas.
 A pair of Javelinas topped the match leaderboard in kills and digs. Sophomore Nicole Murff (San Antonio, Texas) finished with 29 digs, 11 more than any other player. Senior Melanie Casteel (Dallas, Texas) rattled off 13 kills and crafted a hitting percentage of .242. She started the night by converting eight of her first nine attacks. Freshman Emily North (Red Oak, Texas) topped the squad in assists with 15 and also added three aces.
The 18 blocks registered by the Javs are the most since Tanya Allen took over as head coach in 2011. Three different Javelinas finished with more than five total blocks, including senior Kailey Estrada (San Antonio, Texas), who matched her career-high with eight total blocks and set a new career-best with three solo blocks. Junior Kapri Pelle (Auburn, Calif.) collected seven rejections and senior Talleyshia Morris (Tulsa, Okla.) came away with six.
Lubbock Christian took their first lead of the match at 4-3 before the Javelina took over in the first set. Of the next 16 points, 12 went to the Blue and Gold over a stretch that included multiple kills for sophomore Jordan Wonders (San Antonio, Texas) and a pair of combined blocks for Pelle and Estrada, with Estrada also adding a solo block. The Javs then closed the set on another run, snatching eight straight scores with junior Meghan Merlino (Sacramento, Calif.), Pelle and Estrada all contributing blocks and Merlino ending the frame with a right-handed rocket to the hardwood. In the opening set, the Javelinas held LCU to one kill while forcing 11 errors on 33 attacks for a -.303 hitting percentage. TAMUK, meanwhile, hit .320.
The Javelinas remained in command in the second game, using a 15-3 run keyed by two North aces and two Casteel kills to race out to 16-4 lead. When the Lady Chaps cut their deficit to nine, six of the next seven rallies were won by the Javs and the set's final two points were tallied on smashes by Casteel. Once again, the home team was held to a negative kill rate at -.067.
The Lady Chaps found their footing in the third set, taking seven of the first 10 rallies for a four-point lead. They later used a 5-1 burst to up their advantage to 16-9 before four-in-a-row to the Javelinas cut the lead to three. LCU solidified their advantage with three straight points and cruised the rest of the way before Hailey Cournoyer closed out the frame with a kill.
The fourth set included 12 ties and eight lead changes and for much of the frame, neither team had a lead of more than two. The first separation larger than a couple points came during a stretch that saw LCU win six of eight points to go from trailing 16-15 to ahead 21-18. The Javelinas sliced that difference to one at 22-21, but the Lady Chaps notched the last three points of the stanza and tied the match on a finisher from Bradi Marshall.
Two blasts from Casteel helped the Blue and Gold win four of the first five rallies in the decisive set, but LCU then stole the momentum. Two runs of six consecutive points, interrupted only by an attack error and a Merlino kill, thrust the home team into the lead, 13-6. The next two scores were by the Javelinas, but the final two points of the night, capped by a block assist from Morgan Schwarz and Ashley Vanfleet, belonged to LCU. It was the Javelina offense that was stymied in the last frame, with three kills against 11 errors on 24 total attacks.
Next up is the first leg of a home-and-home against the Texas A&M International Dustdevils, who will visit Kingsville on Thursday to take on TAMUK at 6 p.m. To keep up with Javelina volleyball all season long, follow @JavelinaVB and @JavelinaSports on Twitter and Instagram, visit TAMUK Volleyball on Facebook, subscribe to the Javelina Athletics YouTube Channel and visit Javelinaathletics.com. Watch your Javelinas live today on the Javelina Sports Network sponsored by Mendoza's Pharmacy.
