AUSTIN, Texas (October 6, 2023) -- Lubbock Christian University fought back from a 2-0 deficit to secure a come-from-behind five-set 3-2 victory (23-25, 19-25, 25-19, 25-15, 15-9) over St. Edward's Friday in a Lone Star Conference road contest at Recreation and Convocation and Center.

The conference victory was LCU's second consecutive overall victory and it improved the Lady Chaparrals record to 11-5 overall and 3-3 in LSC play. LCU has won three consecutive road matches (all in LSC play).

The Lady Chaps were led by Payton Murray, who posted a team-leading 15 kills, with six produced in the decisive fifth set. Murray and Lacie Schooley, who had 12 kills, were aided by double-double performances from Kiana Fallaha, who registered 11 kills and 10 digs, and Kayton Genenbacher, who posted 39 assists and 16 digs. Genenbacher also pitched in with five in the contest, as LCU had 10 aces as a team. On the defensive end, Genenbacher and Chloe Menard co-led LCU with 16 digs and Kalli Dalland added six blocks.

Game Notes

» Lubbock Christian dropped the first two sets of the match before rallying to win the final three. The previous time that occurred was Sept. 11, 2021, as LCU rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Colo. Colorado Springs in Colorado Springs, Colo.

» Lubbock Christian had three players in double figures in kills, led by a career-high 15 kills from Murray. She hit .429 in the match. Schooley, who was coming off a career-high 13 kills Wednesday at Midwestern State, has 25 kills in the combined two matches. LCU also had 11 kills from Fallaha, who posted her 13th double-digit kill performance of the season.

» Lubbock Christian had four players in double figures in digs. Joining Genenbacher and Menard (each had 16 digs), was Olivia Eloffson, who had 13 digs, and Fallaha, who had 10 digs.

» Kayton Genenbacher had a career-high five aces in the win. The total is tied for the second-most aces in a five-set match by a Lady Chaps member since 2008. It is the second time it has happened this season, as Olivia Elofsson had five aces against Oklahoma Christian (Sept. 16) in a five-set match.

» Kiana Fallaha registered a double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs for her ninth double -double of the season and her career. She has double-double performances in five of her last seven matches.

» Lubbock Christian never trailed on the way to winning the third set 25-19.

» LCU served up five aces on the way to a fourth-set victory and they finished with 10 aces (as a team), which matched a season high.

» Lubbock Christian never trailed on the way to winning the fourth set 15-9.

» Lubbock Christian attackers were helped by a match-high 39 assists from Kayton Genenbacher, which was part of her ninth double-double of the season and 20th of her career.

» LCU is 4-1 in five-set matches this season and are 3-0 in five-set matches on the road. The have won back-to-back five-set matches (in consecutive matches played) for the first time since defeating West Texas A&M and St. Edward's on Nov.6 and Nov.11 of the 2021 season. The last time LCU won consecutive matches in five sets on the road was on Sept.5 (at West Texas A&M) and Sept.10 (at Texas A&M International) of the 2015 season. 

» Sarah Konovodoff performed a double-double for SEU with 18 digs and 10 assists. The Hilltoppers received 15 kills from Addy Badley.

» LCU moved to 4-1 on the season in road matches and 3-1 in LSC road matches.

» The Lady Chaps moved to 17-10 all-time against St. Edward's and 7-6 against SEU in Austin. LCU is 5-2 all-time against SEU in matches going five sets and four of the prior six head-to-head meetings have lasted five sets.

How It Happened

SET 1 | The Lady Chaps fell in a back-and-forth first set, losing 25-23 in a game that featured three lead changes and was tied seven times. Neither team led by more than four points in the match. Fallaha, Murray and Schooley co-led LCU in the frame with three kills each.

SET 2 | A 25-19 second-set loss put Lubbock Christian behind two sets to none in the match. Lubbock Christian trailed by as many as six points as Saint Edward's grabbed the advantage for good at 12-11 in a set that was tied up six times before the Hilltoppers took over the lead. LCU led in the match with an 11-7 advantage, but SEU went on a 7-0 run to take a 14-11 lead. Lily Bickley led LCU in the set with a trio of kills.

SET 3 | After dropping the first two sets, Lubbock Christian fought back to grab the third set and make it a 2-1 match. The Lady Chaps scored first and never trailed in the set to earn a 25-19 victory. Lubbock Christian opened up as much as a 10 point lead at 18-8 before finishing off the set. The Lubbock Christian offense also got a boost from three aces in the stanza (two by Genenbacher). Fallaha, Murray and Schooley paced LCU to the set win with three kills each in the frame.

SET 4 | Lubbock Christian continued their comeback, winning the fourth set 25-15 to bring the match level at two sets apiece. A fantastic serving effort helped Lubbock Christian earn a victory in a set where they totaled five aces (three by Genenbacher and two by Menard). The Lady Chaps opened up a 23-10 lead in the set and coasted to victory from there. Schooley led all Lady Chaps with four kills in the the set.

SET 5 | Lubbock Christian fell behind two sets to none, but put together an epic comeback to win the last three sets, culminating in a 15-9 fifth-set victory, and giving them the match 3-2 . The Lady Chaps scored first and never trailed in the fifth set to earn the victory. Lubbock Christian opened up as much as a seven point lead at 13-6 before finishing off the set, collecting 10 kills along the way. Murray had a whopping six kills on seven chances in the set.

Portions of this article created using technology provided by Data Skrive.