IRVING, Texas – The Concordia University Texas volleyball team moved one step closer to securing a spot in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Tournament with a 3-0 sweep of the University of Dallas on Sunday afternoon at the Maher Athletic Center.
The Tornados (9-12, 6-5 SCAC) claimed the victory by set scores of 27-25, 25-17 and 25-20, completing the sweep behind an efficient offensive performance and 12 service aces.
Brooklynne Fitzgerald led Concordia with a match-high 11 kills on a .385 hitting percentage, adding nine digs and a service ace. Samantha Taylor followed with 10 kills while hitting .364, committing just two errors on 22 attempts.
Aubrey Hughes contributed six kills, four service aces and a solo block, while Jade Romero matched Hughes with four aces and added a team-high 13 digs.
The Tornados battled through a tightly contested opening set that featured 10 ties and three lead changes. Concordia eventually prevailed 27-25 to take a 1-0 advantage in the match.
Concordia found its rhythm offensively in the second set, recording 13 kills while hitting .250. The Tornados limited Dallas to a .083 hitting percentage and pulled away for a 25-17 victory.
The Purple and Gold saved their best offensive set for last, hitting .278 with 14 kills and just four errors in the third frame. Concordia controlled the set from start to finish, securing a 25-20 victory to complete the sweep.
Aniyah Tompkins directed the offense with a team-high 11 assists and nine digs, while McKinley Grimm added 10 assists, six digs and two service aces. Katherine Dedear chipped in four kills on a .333 hitting percentage.
Defensively, the Tornados totaled 57 digs, compared to 47 for Dallas, while holding the Crusaders to a .147 hitting percentage. Concordia finished the afternoon hitting .209 with 38 kills.
Concordia Texas will next host the University of St. Thomas in a pivotal SCAC matchup with postseason implications this Saturday. First serve is scheduled for noon.
A victory over St. Thomas would officially clinch a berth in the SCAC Tournament for the Tornados. With both programs battling for the final postseason spot, Concordia enters the matchup controlling its own destiny.
Even with a loss, Concordia would remain in contention for a tournament berth. The Tornados would still hold the applicable tiebreaker advantage over St. Thomas if both teams finish the regular season with identical conference records.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the CTX volleyball program, follow us on social media @ctxathletics and visit athletics.concordia.edu.
