THE RUNDOWN
DBU (0-1) lost to Harding (2-0) in a back-and-forth, five-set affair on Friday afternoon at the Hilltopper Classic. In a match filled with 38 ties and 16 lead changes, three Lady Patriots finished with double-digit kills and four finished with more than a dozen digs.
 
Setter and UNLV transfer Lauryn Burt showed off her ability to execute the dump shot and even collected a solo block to help DBU creep to a 14-10 lead. Sisters Skyler and Kelli McKinnon along with Logan Smith had a combined six kills to even the score at 19 before the Lady Patriots won in deuce play, 28-26.
 
Like the first set, the second was decided by only two points. Harding spread the ball around offensively, with four players earning multiple kills in the frame. DBU relied primarily on AJ Koele and Emily Van Slate, who finished with six and three kills respectively. Van Slate and Audrey Nunes both had four digs, but the Lady Bison squeaked by with the set in hand.
 
Harding once again shared the offensive load in the third set as five players recorded two kills. DBU matched their attack by besting the Lady Bison by seven total kills, including seven by Koele. Burt continued her sneaky ways, utilizing the dump shot en route to three kills and 11 assists. In a set with 12 ties, neither team led by more than three until the Lady Patriots took the set, 25-21.
 
After a 7-6 start, Harding went on a 13-6 run to make the score 20-12. Delaney Fuller's five digs paced DBU for the set, but the Lady Bison ran away with it thanks to a .286 hitting percentage opposite the Lady Patriots' mark of .086.
 
The deciding set was about as evenly matched as one would expect. The two teams were almost identical statistically, matching in kills and being within two units of each other in attacks, assists, digs, and blocks. However, the seven combined errors committed by DBU—compared to Harding's five—proved too much for the Lady Patriots to overcome.
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Five Lady Patriots recorded at least nine digs (Lauryn Burt, Delaney Fuller, AJ Koele, Kenzie McNeill, and Emily Van Slate).
- Baylor transfers AJ Koele and Emily Van Slate began their DBU careers with a double-double.
- Despite being a setter, Lauryn Burt finished with seven kills. She also finished with 45 assists.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
24 - AJ Koele's 24 kills were a career-high for the Baylor transfer.
.255 - The Lady Patriots hit .255 or better in each of the first three sets.
17 - Delaney Fuller logged 17 digs in the match.
 
UP NEXT
The Lady Patriots will play again on Friday, facing host St. Edward's at 7:00 pm.
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