Match Information
Score: Lubbock Christian 3, Southwestern Oklahoma State 0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-23)
Records: Lubbock Christian (2-3), Southwestern Okla. St. (1-4)
Location: Rip Griffin Center – Lubbock, Texas

Highlights
Sage Chain posted six solo blocks in three sets and was one of four Lady Chaps with at least nine kills, as her prowess at the net helped LCU open up their home slate with a straight-set victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State in the opening match of the 2022 Chap Classic. Chain (9 kills) joined Aaliyah Gray (9 kills), Kiana Fallaha (10 kills) and Lilly Bickley (10 kills) as the LCU foursome leading the way in kills. They were fed by Kayton Genenbacher, who distributed 39 assists and added 10 digs to complete a double-double. SWOSU was led in the loss by Zoey Sparks and Lacy Mott. Each player had 10 kills, with Sparks adding eight blocks (four solo).

How It Happened

Set One:
A LCU relied on their early-season serving ace leader Zoe Parker to get them on the positive end early. Parker, who is coming off a five-ace performance against Emmanuel, served up a pair of aces early to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 6-2 advantage (her second ace capped a 5-0 run). LCU never let the lead slip to a one-point lead until scores of 13-12 and 14-13, but LCU kills by Lily Bickley and Kalli Dalland helped give the Lady Chaps some breathing room until a kill by Aaliyah Gray and a combo block from Kayton Genenbacher and Sage Chain led to a 20-16 advantage for the Lady Chaps. Lacy Mott produced a kill and followed with an ace to bring the Bulldogs back. A 6-2 run by SWOSU tied the set at 22-22. The match was tied 23-23 until a Dalland kill and a SWOSU attack error clinched a 25-23 set win for LCU. LCU produced 17 kills in the set, with five by Kiana Fallaha.      

Set Two:
Early aces helped LCU in the second set, but this time it was Genenbacher with a pair of aces, which were part of a 5-0 run to start the set and the buildup of a 9-3 lead. It was not smooth sailing for LCU, as a 7-0 SWOSU run cut LCU's lead to 15-13 and forced head coach Keith Giboney into calling a timeout. Sage Chain produced a kill and a block out of the timeout and went on a 5-0 run. They closed the set on a 4-0 run, which included a pair of kills from Dalland. Five Lady Chaps had at least two kills in the set, with Dalland leading the Lady Chaps with four kills in the frame.  

Set Three:
SWOSU had a 6-1 run off the bat and led 6-2. LCU was playing catch-up from there and fell behind 13-7 before an 8-3 edge allowed LCU to cut the deficit to 16-15.  Trailing 18-15, Aaliyah Gray produced a kill to start a 3-0 rally to tie the set 18-18. LCU wasn't able to take the lead after a kill by Lacy Mott for SWOSU, but LCU responded with a block and a kill by Chain, which was mixed in with a serving ace by Chloe Menard for a 3-0 run to give LCU a 21-19 lead. Teams traded points the rest of the way and Bickley's kill clinched the win for LCU. Gray and Chain each led LCU with five kills, with Chain also adding three solo blocks in the set.    
 
Set Four:
Bickley had two kills early in the fourth set, as LCU jumped out to a 6-2 advantage. UAF charged back with a 7-3 scoring surge to tie the set at 9-9. The score would be knotted up on four occasions and as late as 15-15, but a Karli Nielson kill ignited a 7-2 run to help the Nanooks pull away with a 25-22 set win. LCU had 5.0 blocks in the set, while on the other side, it was Rilee White contributing eight kills in the set for UAF.
 
Inside the Numbers:
 

2-3	The Lady Chaps win pushes their record to 2-3 and gives them consecutive wins for the first time this season. The Lady Chaps have also won six consecutive sets played.
11-3	The Lady Chaps improved to 11-3 in home openers since 2008. The win marked their fourth consecutive home opening victory and the second in the streak against SWOSU, who was the last team to defeat LCU in a home opener (2018).
6	LCU game-by-game individual records displaying solo blocks go back to 2008 and (in that span) no Lady Chap had recorded six solo blocks in a single match until Sage Chain completed the task in three sets. She topped her prior career high of four solo blocks, which she had done twice and had become the only Lady Chaps to have at least four solo blocks in a game twice. She finished the match with seven total blocks (her career high is nine), which is tied for the fifth most in a three-set match since 2008 and is the most in a three-set match for a Lady Chap since Hannah Froeschl had seven against Bentley on Sept. 4, 2021.
10	Kiana Fallaha matched a career high with 10 kills, and she completed her 10 kills with a .364 attack percentage.
39	LCU setter Kayton Genenbacher posted a match-high 39 assists and also added 10 digs for her second double-double of the season and the third of her LCU career.
5-2	The Lady Chaps improve 5-2 all-time against SWOSU. Four of the last five meetings between the two programs have come in Lubbock.

 
Next
LCU remains home Friday and hosts Fort Lewis College at 3 p.m. as part of the Chap Classic inside Rip Griffin Center.