SAN ANGELO, Texas (November 20, 2025) – Second-seeded Lubbock Christian University survived one of the wildest matches of the Lone Star Conference season, outlasting No. 7-seed Oklahoma Christian in a five-set postseason thriller Thursday afternoon inside Junell Center–Stephens Arena, winning 3–2 (29–27, 20–25, 21-25, 25–12, 19–17). The victory sends the Lady Chaps to 24–6 and into the LSC Championship Semifinals for the first time since 2021.
 
LCU leaned on enormous volume and grit to advance—five players reached double-figure kills, four posted 20-plus digs, and freshman setter Camdyn Sears delivered another elite double-double with 63 assists and a career-high 24 digs. Freshman standout Emilee Sikora powered the attack with 23 kills (on 73 attempts) and 25.5 points, while senior Payton Murray followed with 21 kills on a career-high 66 swings. Senior libero Abby Dominguez anchored the back row with 37 digs, one shy of her career high.
Oklahoma Christian (19–10)—riding momentum from its upset of No. 13 West Texas A&M—pushed LCU to the brink behind Annie Davis (18 kills) and Kathryn Christie (15 kills). Camryn McGough posted 10 blocks, and Summer Van Meerveld (22 assists, 19 digs) and Sophie Mae Smith (29 assists, 14 digs) each had a double-double in the loss.
 
Game Notes
» Lubbock Christian's 272 total attacks shattered the program's rally-era record (since 2008) and also stand as the most in NCAA Division II this season, the most by any DII team since Lane and Benedict each logged 276 on Sept. 17, 2022, and the highest total in the Lone Star Conference since Texas A&M–Commerce's 273 vs. Oklahoma Christian (Nov. 16, 2021). Two Lady Chaps fueled the record pace: Emilee Sikora's 73 attack attempts mark the most ever by an LCU player in the rally-scoring era, while Payton Murray's 66 swings rank sixth-most in program history.
 
» LCU's 81 kills rank as the second-most in the rally-scoring era (since 2008), the program's highest total since posting 82 vs. DBU (Nov. 16, 2024), and the tied for the fourth-most in NCAA Division II this season—also the highest single-match total in the LSC this year. The previous No. 2 mark (75 on Nov. 12 vs. Midwestern State) was surpassed for the second straight match. Individually, Emilee Sikora's 23 kills tied for the ninth-most in program rally-era history and were the most by an LCU player since Lily Bickley's 23 vs. DBU on Nov. 16, 2024.
 
» The Lady Chaps recorded 79 assists, the second-largest total in program rally-era history and the most since collecting 80 vs. Dallas Baptist on Nov. 16, 2024. Their prior No. 2 mark (75 on Nov. 12 vs. Midwestern State) again lasted only one match. Freshman setter Camdyn Sears delivered 63 assists, tied for the fifth-most in program history; she has now appeared in two of the program's top five single-match assist totals after her career-high 65 on Nov. 12 vs. MSU.
 
» LCU's 137 digs were the second-most in both the NCAA Division II and the LSC this season, while also ranking as the second-highest total in program rally-era history (most since 139 vs. Oklahoma Baptist on Nov. 2, 2012). The previous program No. 2 mark (125 on Oct. 31, 2025 vs. Texas Woman's) was also set this season. Libero Abby Dominguez's 37 digs were one shy of her career high of 38 (vs. Missouri Western on Sept. 6, 2025), tying for the seventh-most in a 5-set match and eighth-most overall in program rally-era history.
 
» Emilee Sikora's 25.5 points tied the 10th-most in program history in the rally-scoring era and marked the highest output by a Lady Chap since Lily Bickley recorded 26.5 vs. DBU on Nov. 16, 2024.
 
» LCU advances to the Semifinals of the LSC Championships for the second time all-time and the first time since 2021, which was also in San Angelo. LCU, making their fifth all-time LSC Championship appearance, improves to 2-4 all-time in the tournament.
 
» The Lady Chaps are now 4-1 in neutral site contests this season. Overall, the Lady Chaps improved to 24-6, with the 24 wins marking a single-season best since a 24-win 2012 season.
 
» LCU had four players with at least 20 digs (Dominguez 37, Sears 24, Ramsey Clark 22, Olivia Elofsson 20), but Camdyn Sears was the only one of the bunch to set a career high in digs.  The digs, added to her 63 assists (sixth time this season over 50), provided Sears another double-double, as she surpassed 50 assists for fifth time this season (65) and tackled her 20th double-double of the season.
 
» Senior Payton Murray, who was coming off a career-high 18 kills against Midwestern State, topped the mark with 21 kills Thursday. She hit double figures for an ninth time this season and it marked her 36^th of her career.
 
» Lily Bickley posted 16 kills in the match, as the Senior garnered her 60th double-digit kill performance of her career (21st of the season).
 
» LCU had 11 kills from Jade Workman for her 11th performance of double-digit kills this season.
 
» The match featured 25 lead changes (11 in the opening set) and the score was tied on 47 occasions (17 in the opening set).
 
» Senior libero Abby Dominguez producing her 13th performance of 20-or-more digs this season (14th of her LCU career) with 37 for her second-highest total as a Lady Chap.
 
» The five-set win places LCU at 5-3 this season in matches ending in five sets. They are 1-1 in neutral site matches when going the distance.
 
» The Lady Chaps improve to 10-1 all-time against OC. LCU has won the last three meetings and they have all been this season. Thursday's meeting was the first neutral site and postseason match-up between the two programs, whose series dates back to 1979. LCU improved to 2-0 all-time in head-to-head meetings going five sets.
 
How It Happened
 
SET 1 | LCU 29, OC 27
The opening set was tightly contested, as neither team had more than a two-point advantage through 11 lead changes and the score knotted up 17 times. Each team had a pair of set-point serves denied before a kill attempt by Emilee Sikor during LCU's third set-point attempt (leading 28-27) was successful for the 29-27 set win. Sikora had seven kills in the opening frame, as LCU produced 22 total kills in the set and Benitez produced 12 digs.
 
SET 2 | OC 25, LCU 20
The second set was on the same pace, with the score tied on 10 occasions in the set and as late as 14-14 until OC went on a 9-2 run sparked by consecutive kills from Kathryn Christie for a 23-16 lead. A 4-1 run capped by a Payton Murray kill denied another pair of Eagle set-point serves, but Katy Geurin had the clinching kill for the Eagles to even the match. Murray led LCU with five kills in the period.
 
SET 3 | OC 25, LCU 21
The Chaps began the third set with a balanced attack but found themselves trailing as Oklahoma Christian's Annie Davis secured multiple kills early, pushing the visitors ahead 6-2 off a 5-0 run. Despite efforts by Workman and Murray to close the gap, OC extended their lead to 13-8 with consistent offensive play from Davis and Jones. The Chaps rallied with late contributions, including a service ace by Sikora, narrowing the margin to 20-16. However, the Eagles maintained their edge, with Davis delivering the final kill to seal the set at 25-21. Murray had another consistent effort with a team-leading five kills in the set.
 
SET 4 | LCU 25, OC 12
Lubbock Christian secured a dominant 25-12 victory in the fourth set over OC, fueled by an impressive performance from Sikora, who contributed six kills during a critical stretch, helping the Lady Chaps widen their lead. A service ace by Ramsey Clark was part of an 8-0 run, which was also part of a 13-1 surge to close out the fourth frame. LCU hit.289 in the set, with Sikora producing eight kills.
 
SET 5 | LCU 19, OC 17
In the decisive fifth set, the Lady Chaps and OC exchanged points early, with neither side gaining a significant advantage. Lauren Cary opened the scoring for OC with a kill, but Sikora responded for Lubbock Christian to tie the set at 1-1. Bickley contributed multiple key kills to keep the Lady Chaps competitive, while Christie was a major factor for the Eagles with several kills that kept the visitors in the game. The Eagles battled from an 11-9 deficit with a 4-0 run and lead1 13-11, before a pair of OC errors led to the match tied at 17-17. Workman's kill pushed Lubbock Christian ahead. Sikora's subsequent kill and an attack error by Davis gave Lubbock Christian the 19-17 victory, securing the match. Bickley and Sikora each had a trio of kills in the final frame.
 
What's Next
No. 2-seed Lubbock Christian advances to the LSC Championship Semifinals and will face No. 6-seed Texas Woman's on Friday at 4 p.m. inside Junell Center. It is a rematch of LCU's five-set win over TWU on Oct. 31 at Rip Griffin Center. TWU advanced after a 4-1 upset of No. 3-seed West Texas A&M.