Waxahachie, TX — November 11, 2025
The Nelson University Lady Lions opened postseason play with dominance, sweeping the University of Science & Arts in straight sets (25–13, 25–22, 25–18) inside a roaring Sheaffer Center on Tuesday night in the SAC Quarterfinals.
After securing the regular-season championship, the top-seeded Lady Lions looked every bit the part executing with precision and poise from the opening serve. The energy in the Sheaffer Center was electric as Nelson jumped out to a fast start behind sharp hitting and crisp ball movement, setting the tone for a commanding first-set victory.
The Lady Lions were surgical on the attack, hitting an incredible .422 as a team while holding the Drovers to just .241. Addison Standley led the charge with 13 kills on .565 hitting, while senior leader Alexandra Bonnett added 12 kills and a team-high 13 points. Mackenzie Smith was equally lethal with 11 kills on .370 efficiency, giving Nelson a balanced and unstoppable front line.
Cassidy Hargesheimer orchestrated the offense masterfully, dishing out 24 assists to go along with 10 digs, while Taylor Cavazos added another 14 assists and 4 aces from the service line to keep the Drovers on their heels. Defensively, Maci Sons anchored the back row with 15 digs, ensuring USAO rarely found rhythm.
Nelson's depth and chemistry were on full display, six players recorded at least one kill, and the Lions dominated in every phase: serving, defense, and transition. The Lady Lions also out-dug and out-blocked the Drovers while capitalizing on nearly every scoring run to close out each set with authority.
Next Up
With the sweep, Nelson University advances to the SAC Semifinals on Friday, November 14 at the Sid Richardson Center in Fort Worth, Texas, with first serve set for 4:00 PM.
Nelson University (formerly SAGU) is a private Christian university, established in 1927 by P.C. Nelson. The University is located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas, and offers more than 70 associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees on campus or online. For more information, visit www.nelson.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-NELSON.
