Match 1 Information (11:30 a.m. - Central)
Score: Lubbock Christian 3, Westminster 0 (25-21, 29-27, 28-26)
Records: Westminster (0-1, 0-0 Rocky Mountain), Lubbock Christian (1-0, 0-0 Heartland)
Location: LCEF – Portland, Ore.
 
Match 2 Information (7:00 p.m. - Central)
Score: Western Oregon 3, Lubbock Christian 1 (25-20, 21-25, 25-23, 25-20)
Records: Western Oregon (1-1, 0-0 GNAC), Lubbock Christian (1-1, 0-0 Heartland)
Location: LCEF – Portland, Ore.
 
Highlights
 
LCU opened the 2017 with a win over Westminster College in straight sets, but followed with a 3-1 loss to Western Oregon in the Lady Chaps opening day of play of the season and of the Concordia Portland Labor Day Tournament. The Lady Chaps played their 39^th season opener and claimed the win to improve to 27-12 all-time and 11-3 under head coach Jennifer Lawrence in openers. LCU was limited with their 2016 kills leader, Emily Hanaway (no kill attempts), but received 22 kills from Lauren Zoller. Mallory Powell had 68 assists (11.3 per set) and 21 digs (3.5 per set) to average a double-double. They also received nine blocks on the day from Jaden Kennedy.
 
How It Happened
 
Westminster Game
 
Set One:
The two squads opened each of their seasons with a tightly played opening set. The set was all square 15-15, until a kill by LCU freshman Jaden Kennedy was followed by a string of three Griffin errors leading to a 19-15 LCU lead. LCU led as much as 23-19. The Griffins cut the LCU lead to 23-21 before kills by Lauren Zoller and Stephanie Beers clinched the set 25-21. Zoller and Mallory Powell each had four kills in the set, as Powell also added 11 assists and four digs in the set. Sydnee Simmons led WC with six kills in the set.
 
Set Two:
In the second set, LCU raced out to a 6-1 lead, taking advantage of four Griffin miscues. Despite WC rallying back to tie the set 10-10, LCU was able to build a 23-19 lead off one of six kills by Zoller. A trio of Lady Chap mistakes led to a 5-0 run to give WC a 25-24 lead and set-point. A kill by freshman Avery Moore tied the set at 25-25. Three set-points later (LCU serving on the final two), LCU claimed the set 29-27 with a McKaley Johnson ace.  Zoller led LCU with six kills, as Channing Stewart and Moore each contributed four each to help LCU produce 17 in the set.
 
Set Three:
The score was tied on seven occasions leading into a 21-21 tied score in the third set. A pair of Lady Chap attack errors put WC up 23-21 in the set. The Griffins had set-point serve up 24-22, but Beers and Moore each recorded a kill to tie the set 24-24. The pair combined on a block to setup the first of three match-point serves for the Lady Chaps. Kills by Stewart resulted in the final two match-point serves, and the match was decided on an attack error by WC. Stewart led LCU with five kills in the
 
Inside the Numbers:
48 – LCU finished the match with 48 kills, which is an amount topped only once last season in a three-set match.
4 – Stephanie Beers led LCU with four blocks.
 
 
Western Oregon Game
 
Set One:
The opening set was tied on 11 occasions and as late as 19-19 following a kill by Powell.  WOU responded with a 6-1 run to close the set for a 25-20 set win. Five different Lady Chaps had at least two kills in the set, with Zoller leading LCU with three.
 
Set Two:
In the second set, the two teams were tied 17-17 until LCU went on a 5-1 run en route to a 25-21 set win. Karley David erupted with five kills in the set for LCU. On the losing end, in the set, Alisha Bettinson tallied seven of WOU's 11 kills in the set.
 
Set Three:
The Lady Chaps initially road the momentum off the second set win, jumping out to a 9-5 lead to start the set. WOU answered with a 4-1 run and eventually came back to tie the set 14-14. They were tied 19-19 until WOU took their first lead of the set with a Sydney Blankinship kill to lead 19-18. The point was part of a 5-1 run and the Wolves would take the set 25-23.
 
Set Four:
The Wolves controlled most of the final set, opening the set with a 4-1 lead. Jade Kennedy produced four blocks in the set for LCU, with three coming on assists from Hannah Thomas. WOU won the set 25-20.
 
Inside the Numbers:
 
7 – Kennedy led LCU with seven blocks and also added eight kills.
10 – Karley topped her prior career high in kills (4) with 10 against WOU. She also added seven digs.
19 – Bettinson led the Wolves with 19 kills in the win, completing the double-double with 11 digs.
 
Up Next:
LCU remains in Portland Saturday and will face Cal State Dominguez Hills (2 p.m.) and tournament host Concordia (Ore.) at 9:30 p.m. to complete their opening weekend of play.