PUEBLO, Colo. (September 6, 2024) – Lubbock Christian University opened their 2024 campaign with a straight-set win over Cal State East Bay, but fell 3-1 to Steel City Showcase host Colorado State Pueblo Friday, as they split their opening day of play inside Massari Arena.
GAME 1 – LCU 3, CSUEB 0
LCU cruised to a 3-0 win (25-18, 25-20, 25-19) against the Cal State East Bay Pioneers in LCU's opening match of the season. Kiana Fallaha finished with 12 kills on the day to lead the Lady Chaps offense. Defensively, the Lady Chaparrals had two players reach double figures in digs, as freshman Leddy Rae Guinn had 13 and Olivia Elofsson had 10.
Game Notes
» The win placed LCU with season-opening wins for a second consecutive season and they are 30-16 all-time in season openers. LCU has won 12 of their last 17 season openers.
» Kayton Genenbacher moved into 10th place all-time in LCU's record books for career assists. She had 33 to place her with 2,111 career assists, which placed her into 10th past Bradi Marshall, who had 2,109 over a two-season career (2018-2019) at LCU.
» Leddy Rae Guinn was one of three Lady Chaps to appear in the match to make their LCU debut and the first freshman to make an appearance. She started at libero and a team-leading 13 digs and also produced her first serving ace. Juniors (both transfers) Bryleigh Schweer (Dordt) and Abby Benitez (Weatherford College) also made their debut. Benitez had nine digs and an ace and Schweer had nine kills and a pair of blocks for a 10-point performance.
» Kiana Fallaha had a match-high 12 kills for LCU. She led LCU with 13 points and co-led them with a pair of blocks.
» The meeting marked LCU's first-ever meeting against Cal State East Bay in program history.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Lady Chaps grabbed the first set 25-18 powered by a solid performance on the attacking end. Lubbock Christian put together a .304 attack percentage with 16 kills in the set victory. The Lady Chaps trailed 7-3 before utilizing a 7-0 run capped by a pair of Lily Bickley kills for an 11-8 lead. LCU also closed the set on a 9-5 run (5-1 over the final six points) to claim the set. Bickley and Fallaha each had four kills in the frame.
SET 2 | Lubbock Christian carried momentum from a set-one win by securing a 25-20 victory in set two. The Lady Chaps rallied after being down as many as seven points at 16-9 to win the set. Lubbock Christian grabbed the lead at 20-19 and hung on for the victory. After trailing 17-12, it was a 5-0 LCU run (pushed by a pair of kills from Schweer) to aid the rally. LCU closed the set on an 8-0 run, taking advantage of four attack errors by the Pioneers. Fallaha had four kills and five digs to pace LCU in the set win.
SET 3 | Lubbock Christian then sealed the sweep with a victory in set number three. The Lady Chaps scored first and never trailed in the set to secure a 25-19 victory. Lubbock Christian opened up as much as a six point lead at 24-18 before finishing off the set, totaling 16 kills in the process. Lubbock Christian's front row had a solid defensive performance, blocking four Cal State East Bay attacks in the stanza (two by Bickley). Fallaha had another four-kill set, which co-led LCU in the frame with Schweer.
GAME 2 – CSUP 3, LCU 1
The Lady Chaps fell in their first road test of the season, as the Colorado State-Pueblo ThunderWolves posted a 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 17-25, 20-25) win. The nonconference loss dropped Lubbock Christian to 1-1 on the season.
The Lady Chaps offense was paced by Lily Bickley, who finished with 14 kills, while accumulating a hitting percentage of .313. Kiana Fallaha added 11 kills and Payton Murray chipped in with 10 kills as part of balanced Lubbock Christian attack. Defensively, LCU had three players reach double figures in digs, led by Leddy Rae Guinn's 20 (15 from Olivia Elofsson, and 11 more from Kayton Genenbacher). Genenbacher's total helped her claim her first double-double of the season, as she had 35 assists.
Game Notes
» Kayton Genenbacher had a team-high two aces in the loss. She also had four kills to go along with her double-double of 35 assists and 11 digs. The senior had 13 double-doubles last season and Friday's marked her 25th of her career.
» Lily Bickley had a team-high 14 kills for Lubbock Christian. Her career-high is 17 (Oct. 7, 2023 vs. St. Mary's)
» Lubbock Christian got a team-high 20 digs from Leddy Rae Guinn for her first 20-dig performance of her career.
» Hereford native Camryn Blair made her collegiate debut, appearing in the second set.
» CSU Pueblo received a double-double Sadie Scoville, as the returning All-America selection had 22 digs and 14 kills.
» CSU Pueblo now edges LCU 3-2 all-time in the head-to-head series. The meeting was the first in the history of the two programs in Pueblo, as the prior five all-time meetings were neutral site tilts.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Lady Chaps dropped a back-and-forth first set, losing 25-23 in a game that featured four lead changes and was tied eight times. Neither team led by more than four points in the match. LCU let a 19-17 lead slip, as CSUP went on a 7-1 run. LCU, trailing 24-20 scored the next three points before Scoville clinched the set with a kill. Fallaha pounded six kills and had four digs in the frame.
SET 2 | Lubbock Christian rallied after dropping the first set to take the second set 25-21, evening the match at 1-1. The Lady Chaps earned the set victory propelled by a strong showing on the attacking end. Lubbock Christian put together a .333 attack percentage with 17 kills in the set win (five by Payton Murray). The Lady Chaps rallied from down six at 11-5 to claim the win (closed the set on a 10-2 run).
SET 3 | Colorado State-Pueblo went ahead 2-1 in the match after defeating the Lady Chaps in the third set. The Lady Chaps lost a tough set 25-17. Lubbock Christian trailed by as many as 10 points as Colorado State-Pueblo, as LCU went from 17 kills (in prior set) to seven (three by Bickley).
SET 4 | Lubbock Christian then dropped the fourth set 25-20 to finish off the match. The Lady Chaps dropped the first point and trailed throughout. A 4-0 run by LCU cut the gap to 21-17, but the teams traded points the rest of the way. Bickley closed the match with four kills in the set.
What's Next
Saturday, LCU remains in Pueblo and faces Lake Superior State (9:30 a.m. Central) and Minnesota Crookston (1:30 p.m. Central) to close out their opening weekend of play.
