THE RUNDOWN
The Lady Patriots (3-2) opened the Steel City Showcase in Pueblo, Colorado, with a four-set win over the Davis & Elkins Senators (4-2). AJ Koele continued her offensive dominance, landing 22 kills for DBU.
 
After the Senators jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, the Lady Patriots responded with a run of their own to go up, 10-9. DBU maintained a slim edge thanks to a series of kills by Delaney Fuller, AJ Koele, and Lauryn Burt coupled with aces by Sadie Washburn and Aryn Walton. With the score knotted at 19 all, Coach Jordan Fish called a timeout that pushed the Lady Patriots to a 25-21 set win.
 
The second set was owned by DBU. The Lady Patriots opened the frame by winning the first seven points, the best start the team has had in any set all season. DBU shared the wealth offensively as five Lady Patriots recorded multiple kills in a set commanded by DBU.
 
Set number three was the antithesis of its predecessor. It took 25 points for either team to claim a lead larger that 2, when the Senators went up 14-11. DBU tied the game at 14, and Davis & Elkins responded with a 7-2 run. After a timeout, the Lady Patriots closed the lead to one, 23-22, before Davis & Elkins walked away with the set.
 
The fourth set built on the tension of the third. In a set with 11 ties and 4 lead changes, neither team had more than a 3-point advantage, a 23-20 lead for the Senators. Koele, Otero, and Abby Phillips each had four kills, and five Lady Patriots had multiple digs, including Leah Palensky's team-leading five, in the match-clinching set.
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- DBU hit a blistering .680 in the 2nd set—the best hitting percentage of any set in the Jordan Fish era.
- Friday afternoon's win was a team effort, with Fuller, Koele, Otero, Phillips, and Washburn each contributing double-digit points.
- Leah Palensky had a season-high 14 digs.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
.364 ­- DBU hit a season-high .364 in the match.
44 - Lauryn Burt had 44 assists, one shy of tying her career high (45 on August 26 vs. Harding).
4 - Four Lady Patriots had 6 or more kills and hit over .400 (AJ Koele, Lauryn Burt, Lindsey Otero, Sadie Washburn).
 
UP NEXT
DBU will face Colorado State Pueblo for its second game of Friday. First serve is at 8:00 pm CST.
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