AUSTIN, Texas -- Lauryn Bourne had 10 kills on 25 attacks and finished with a .320 hitting percentage for Midwestern State at the Recreation and Convocation Center Friday night. Bourne also had 12 digs to post her second double-double of the season, but Kelli Fording had 11 kills and hit .267 for St. Edward's in a 3-0 victory.
The Hilltoppers hit .205 over three sets, while the Mustangs opened Lone Star Conference play by hitting .121 for the match.
St. Edward's had 11 service errors but also delivered seven aces, while the Mustangs had five service errors.
Riley Rabedeaux had the only ace for Midwestern State. Fording dealt four aces during the match for the Hilltoppers.
Fording had four kills and hit .333 without an attack error in the opening set, and St. Edward's hit .262 as a team in the 25-17 victory. The Hilltoppers were able to overcome six service errors in the set. Midwestern State was held to a .032 hitting percentage in the first set.
The set was tied, 9-9, when the Hilltoppers won seven of 10 points to take a four-point lead. Fording had two kills and a service ace as St. Edward's won five of six points to extend its lead to 21-14.
Addy Badley, Landry Baughman and Lourdes Gomez had consecutive kills to close out the set for the Hilltoppers.
St. Edward's used a four-point run to take an 11-7 lead in the second set, but
Jaiden Wright led the Mustangs back with two kills in a 5-1 run that tied the set, 13-13.
Three consecutive attack errors gave the Hilltoppers a three-point advantage, but Bourne led the charge as MSU won five of six points to take an 18-17 lead.
Fording had a kill and two service aces as St. Edward's established a 21-18 lead. Midwestern State fought off four set points, but a block by Gomez and Cora Young allowed the Hilltoppers to take a 2-0 lead with a 25-23 triumph despite hitting in negative numbers for the set, which featured eight ties and four lead changes.
Midwestern State had 11 kills in the second set, while St. Edward's only managed eight. The Hilltoppers had three service aces and five blocks in the frame. MSU did not have an ace and finished with four blocks in the set. The Mustangs hit .054 in the pivotal second set.
St. Edward's never trailed in the third set and took a five-point lead through the first 11 points. The Hilltoppers extended their lead to six, but the Mustangs won five of six points as Wright recorded two kills.
Arrianna Fields and Bourne each had one kill during the run that made it 19-17 in favor of St. Edward's.
An ace from Fording and a kill by Badley closed out the match for St. Edward's with a 25-19 victory. The Hilltoppers hit a robust .395 in the final set.
Alayna Guerrero had 16 assists, and
Taygon Jones had 13 digs for MSU.
Midwestern State travels to San Antonio for a match against the St. Mary's Rattlers on Saturday. First serve at Bill Greehey Arena is slated for 2 p.m.
--MSUMustangs.com--
