FORT WORTH, Texas – The Nelson University women's volleyball team left no doubt Tuesday night, sweeping sweeping second-place Texas Wesleyan University 3-0 (25-18, 27-25, 25-16) to capture the Sooner Athletic Conference regular-season championship with four matches still remaining on the schedule.
The victory improved the Lady Lions to 22-4 overall and a perfect 18-0 in conference play, securing the conference crown in dominant fashion. Nelson Head Volleyball Coach
Nick Moore stated, "Championships are won long before the final whistle. This team chose discipline, humility, and belief every day. Tonight was the reward."
Nelson set the tone early, hitting .308 in the opening set while limiting Texas Wesleyan to a .031 attack percentage on the way to a 25-18 win. The Rams responded with their best effort of the night in the second set, but the Lady Lions answered every challenge and pulled out a pivotal 27-25 victory to take a commanding two-set lead. Nelson then closed the door emphatically in the third set, hitting .348 while holding Texas Wesleyan to a negative hitting percentage (-.040) in a 25-16 championship-clinching finish.
The Lady Lions' balanced attack was led by
Addison Standley, who delivered 10 kills on a .667 hitting percentage.
Keara Savory-Calbo added six kills while hitting .750 and contributed a team-high four block assists.
Caroline Boone also chipped in six kills as Nelson hit .295 as a team compared to Texas Wesleyan's .092 mark.
At setter,
Cassidy Hargesheimer directed the offense with 19 assists and added a team-high eight digs.
Chloe Munoz contributed seven digs and two service aces, while
Hailey Nixon also recorded two aces for the Lady Lions.
Defensively, Nelson controlled play at the net, finishing with eight team blocks and holding the Rams to just 34 kills on 98 attacks. The Lions also recorded 37 assists on 37 kills, showcasing a balanced offensive system that has powered their championship season.
Up Next
Nelson University Volleyball is back in action on Friday night, October 30
th at 6:00 PM in the Sheaffer Center on the campus of Nelson versus Central Christian College of Kansas. Nelson volleyball will round out the weekend with a 1:00 PM match against Langston University in the Sheaffer Center.
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.
