November 19, 2022
Waxahachie, TX: For the NAIA women's volleyball championship opening round, the Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) Lady Lions matched up to face Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) in the Sheaffer Center in Waxahachie, Texas. The Lady Lions overwhelmingly swept the Golden Nuggets in the lone meeting in the two teams' school histories.
The Lady Lions (33-0, 20-0) beat XULA in five entertaining, riveting sets, 25-19, 25-20, 25- 25-22, and 15-12, to win the opening round of the NAIA women's volleyball championship and advance to the round of 24.
Lion Review
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The Lady Lions will encounter fierce opposition from a motivated Golden Nuggets team. XULA used intense swings and quick transitions to take the lead early in the first set.
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The Lady Lions' communication and passing forced XULA head coach Pat Kendrick to request a timeout to curb the SAGU momentum after head coach Hank Moore had used one to concentrate his team.
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Both teams could declare themselves warmed up and ready for the match after a kill from Karena Tipton tied the score at 16.
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Riley Burcham's pass was accurate, and Abby Wells flew from the back row to smash it.
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The SAGU defense's back-row communication, led by Tessa Glick, was what allowed the Lady Lions to stack numerous stops.
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Emma Tompkins, a standout for SAGU and the MVP of the Sooner Athletics Conference (SAC), took control of the game early on. With a kill and a solo block at the net, the ace middle player dispelled concerns about her squad's competitiveness.
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The SAGU gym exploded as Riley Burcham used a cunning service dump to end the first set. The Sheaffer Center was so loud that Waxahachie as a whole could hear the clamor of the spectators.
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In the second set, Xavier scored the opening points, but Abby Wells and Emma Tompkins returned with consecutive crushing kills.
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The SAGU Lady Lions scored in the third set when Samantha Rico's acute eye caught an errant Xavier pass outside the back line's bounds, but the XULA club would steal the following two sets from the top-seeded Lady Lions.
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The Lady Lions were led in kills by Abby Wells (13), Emma Tompkins (13), and Ava Myers (12), while the scoring onslaught was evenly dispersed by SAGU setter Riley Burcham, who had a match-high 47 assists.
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The Lady Lions were boosted over XULA by Lindi Boling, who had two service aces. Emma Tompkins, who recorded eight blocks, and Tessa Glick, who plunged into the stands and slid all over the court for her match-high 24 digs, both put in outstanding defensive efforts for the SAGU Lady Lions.
More from Moore
"Congratulations to the 33-0 SAGU Volleyball Team. With the win today, we move on to Sioux City, Iowa, for the next round of the National Tournament. I'm so proud of our kids' fight today. Also, congratulations to a very good Xavier team on a great season," SAGU Head Volleyball Coach Hank Moore said.
The Next Step
Next up for the SAGU, Lady Lions will advance to the round of 24 of the 2022 NAIA Volleyball national tournament in hopes of adding another championship to their historic season.
As a leading Christian university, SAGU educates and prepares individuals who want to serve Christ and others. SAGU helps students discover and develop their God-given callings in a Spirit-empowered, learning community. We believe in affordable tuition, made possible in part through the financial support of donors who embrace the mission of SAGU and the importance of affordable, accredited programs to train Christians for leadership in ministry, business, education, and service. Most majors are available in-person in Waxahachie, TX, and online through a wide range of associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.
