Volleyball is set for success this season

PIONEER VOLLEYBALL spent this past weekend at the Texas Lutheran Bulldog Classic in Seguin, Texas near San Antonio.  On Friday, the team faced off against Schreiner University.  The match began well, as the Pioneers took the first set 25-15.  However, the Mountaineers rallied to win the next three sets consecutively to take the match.  Julia Somers led the Pioneers team with 11 kills in the match, while Bailee Cragun ’18 added eight. Cragun hit .115 while managing three digs and a block.  Casey Myzkowski ’19 continued her impressive play, hitting above .250 for the third time in her last four matches.

In the second match the Pios squared off against Hardin-Simmons University.  It was the team’s second meeting in as many weeks.  In this match the Pioneers were competitive in each set, but were ultimately swept in three consecutive sets despite scoring at least 22 points in two of the three.  Somers again led the Pioneers with 14 kills to go with a .273 hitting percentage.  Meanwhile, Annika San Nicolas  ’19 scored a pair of aces for the Pioneers.  However, Hardin-Simmons combined for 12 aces in the match to LC’s five, a key stat that led the Cowgirls to victory.

On Saturday, the Pios earned their first victory of the new season, defeating Howard-Payne University 25-20, 18-25, 25-17, 25-16.  Emma Contreras ’19 led the way with an impressive .391 hitting percentage to go along with nine kills.  Somers had her sixth straight game of double-digit kills with 11.  The Pioneers went on several impressive runs during the game.  Coming off a loss in the second set, the Pioneers opened the third set by powering to an 11-1 lead, leading to the 25-17 victory.  Serving was a point of strength as well, with the Pioneers scoring 13 aces.  

In final match of the weekend, the Pioneers faced the hosts, Texas Lutheran University.  However, despite scoring at least 21 points in each set, they were swept 25-21, 25-22, 25-22.  The teams went back and forth in the opening set with LC coming from behind to tie at 17.  However, the Bulldogs pulled away from there.  In the final set, the Pioneers battled to a 22-21 lead, but ultimately lost the final four points.  Kortney Meyer ’19 managed a remarkable .444 hitting percentage for the match and Mikayla Lopez ’19 earned 16 assists.  LC travels up I-5 this weekend for matches against Puget Sound on Friday, September 16 and Pacific Lutheran on Saturday, September 17.