THE RUNDOWN
DBU (23-5, 14-2 LSC) took down Texas Permian Basin (11-16, 6-10 LSC) in Odessa to finish the regular season on Saturday afternoon. For the first time this season, Audrey Nunes led the Lady Patriots in kills with 14.
 
After a close start to the match, the Lady Patriots found a groove to initiate a 9-1 run and went up 18-10. The Falcons managed to slow DBU's pace but were never able to get an edge in the set. AJ Koele was electric in the frame, executing eight kills.
 
Like the first, set two had a tight beginning, but UTPB flipped the script, going on a 9-1 stretch of its own. Down 19-13, Jordan Fish called a timeout to stop the Falcons' momentum, but UTPB margin was too much to overcome. 
 
Trade was the name of the game in the third frame as neither squad strung together more than two points at a time in the set. The Lady Patriots spread the offensive attack such that all six players belted multiple kills. The Falcons struggled to find a rhythm, smashing only 10 kills on .161 hitting.
 
Yet again the two foes failed to steal the leverage from the other early in the fourth. Holding the 9-8 advantage, DBU exploded, taking the next 12 points, including 6 straight kills from the hand of Nunes. UTPB would claim only one more point for the rest of the match, and the Lady Patriots finished the regular season with the win.
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- DBU closes out the regular season with a 23-5 overall record, setting a new best for overall winning percentage through the regular season (.821). The Lady Patriots' 14-2 conference record also establishes a new program record for conference winning percentage at .875.
- The win gives DBU outright possession of second place in the Lone Star Conference and the second seed in the conference tournament next weekend.
- The Lady Patriots' team hitting percentage increased in each set (.270, .344, .432, .625).
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
.400 - For the 3rd time this season, DBU hit .400 or better.
19 - Emily Van Slate had a career-high 19 digs in the match.
1,000 - With an Audrey Nunes kill in the 4th set, Lauryn Burt reached 1,000 assists on the year. Her cumulative total is 1,007.
 
JORDAN FISH ON THE WINS THIS WEEKEND
"Every match from here on out will be on the road, so it was so important to us to get these two wins. We are excited for post season!"
 
UP NEXT
DBU travels to Canyon, Texas, next weekend for the Lone Star Conference tournament hosted at West Texas A&M. The Lady Patriots will face the seventh seed, Arkansas–Fort Smith, in the quarterfinals.