LUBBOCK, Texas (October 12, 2024) – Lubbock Christian University battled back from a 2-1 match deficit and a late fifth-set scare to defeat Texas A&M International 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 20-25, 25-19, 16-14) in their annual "Play for the Cure Pink Game" Saturday. The Lady Chaps set a new program record with 32 block assists in their NCAA-era, overcoming a 14-13 deficit in the decisive fifth set to secure the thrilling Lone Star Conference victory at Rip Griffin Center.
The conference win completed a 2-0 weekend in their first weekend at home (this season) and improved Lubbock Christian's record to 8-8 overall and 4-2 in LSC play. Vital, as both teams entered play 3-2 in LSC play (TAMIU falls to 3-3 in LSC play with the loss).
The Lady Chaps offense was paced by Lily Bickley, who finished with 17 kills on the day while accumulating a hitting percentage of .297, and by Payton Murray, who had 15 kills. Bickley also provided seven blocks and a pair of assists for 22.5 points. Defensively, LCU had two players reach double figures in digs as Leddy Rae Guinn had 16 and Kayton Genenbacher had 10 (completed the double-double with 46 assists). From the front row, Bryleigh Schweer contributed nine blocks and Tatum Fleitman added seven rejections, joining Bickley.
Game Notes
» Kayton Genenbacher had a match-high three aces in the win. She entered the match with five aces on the season. A day following nine aces against Texas A&M-Kingsville, LCU produced eight aces Saturday for a total of 17 on the weekend.
» Lily Bickley had a team-high 17 kills for Lubbock Christian, as she was two shy of her career high (19).
» Payton Murray, who leads LCU in conference play in kills (81 kills) had a 15-kill outing for Lubbock Christian. She has produced at least 10 kills in five consecutive matches and six of her last seven contests.
» Lubbock Christian attackers were helped by a team-high 46 assists from Kayton Genenbacher, who also added 10 digs for her 8th double-double of the season and 32nd of her career.
» LCU produced 32 block-assists, which is their highest total in their NCAA-era (2013 was their first transition season and 2015 was their first NCAA postseason eligible season) and the highest total on file of game-by-game records going back to the 2008 season. They totaled 16.0 blocks, which is their highest mark since notching 16.0 on Oct. 1, 2019 against Texas A&M-Kingsville. The 16.0 blocks ties for the highest mark by a LSC program this season.
» Bryleigh Schweer becomes the sixth Lady Chaps member to notch nine solo blocks in a match (ties for first in LCU's NCAA-era). Lily Bickley and Kalli Dalland also completed the task last season.
» Throughout the match, the score was tied on 31 occasions and there were a total of 13 lead changes.
» LCU improved to 3-2 on the season in five-set matches.
» Each meeting between LCU and TAMIU went five sets, with the teams splitting. It was the 20th all-time meeting between the two teams and the third meeting resulting in a five-set decision (LCU is 2-1 in those decisions), as two of three five-set decisions have occurred in consecutive meetings. LCU is 18-2 all-time against TAMIU all-time and 10-0 against Dustdevils at home all-time.
» TAMIA had a combined 44 kills from Mia Molina (23) and Aryanna Ledet (21) in the losing effort. Emma Lade also produced a double-double with 55 assists and 11 digs.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Lady Chaps came up short in a back-and-forth first set, losing 25-23 in a game that featured four lead changes and was tied seven times. Neither team led by more than four points in the match. TAMIU's Molina (7) and Ledit (5) combined for 12 kills, while LCU's Bickley (6) and Murray (4) combined for 10 kills in a productive set for the four.
SET 2 | Lubbock Christian evened the match at 1-1 following a 25-23 victory in the second set. The Lady Chaps persevered past a furious Texas A&M International rally, hanging on to win after leading by seven points at 9-2 earlier in the set (TAMIU had an 8-0 rally). The Lubbock Christian offense also got a boost from three aces in the stanza. Lubbock Christian's front row had a solid defensive performance, blocking six Texas A&M International attacks in the stanza (Bickley had four blocks). Murray led LCU with four kills in the set, but Molina had a second consecutive seven-kill set.
SET 3 | Texas A&M International responded to win set number three, putting Lubbock Christian in a two sets to one hole. The Lady Chaps came up short by the score of 25-20. Texas A&M International grabbed the advantage for good at 4-3 in a set that was knotted up four times before the Dustdevils took over the lead. The score was tied as late as 17-17 before TAMIU closed on an 8-3 run.
SET 4 | Lubbock Christian then responded to secure the fourth set 25-19 to force a fifth set. The Lady Chaps took the lead for good at 17-16 in a set that showcased four lead changes before the Lady Chaps took over in the second half of the stanza. Lubbock Christian got a solid defensive performance from a front row that blocked five Texas A&M International attacks in the stanza. LCU closed the set on a 9-3 scoring surge. Bickley led LCU in the frame with four kills. Ledet led TAMIU with six kills.
SET 5 | Down two sets to one, Lubbock Christian powered back to win sets four and five, culminating in a 16-14 fifth-set victory, to take the match 3-2. The Lady Chaps came out on top of a tight fifth-set battle, winning a stanza that was tied five times and had two lead changes. LCU trailed 14-13, as TAMIU had match-point-serve, but Schweer prolonged the match with a kill to tie the set 14-14. On the next play, LCU found themselves in a scramble as Ramsey Clark, Kayton Genenbacher, and libero Leddy Rae Guinn collided. Despite the chaos, the ball stayed in play, and Payton Murray went for a kill that sailed to the endline. Initially ruled in by the line judge, the call resulted in a replay challenge (by TAMIU). The call stood and LCU led 15-14. The match ended with Genenbacher and Schweer combining for a block on an equalizing kill attempt by Ledet.
WHAT'S NEXT
It is a quick break, as LCU's homestand continues Wednesday inside Rip Griffin Center, as LCU hosts UT Permian Basin at 6 p.m. for a Lone Star Conference matchup.
