THE RUNDOWN
DBU (11-3, 2-1) topped Lubbock Christian (5-9, 1-2) in a four-set conference match on Friday night. The Lady Patriots slammed 64 kills in the win, their most since 2018.
 
DBU was ready to roll early in the match, taking a 5-1 lead out of the gates, but the Lady Chaparrals woke up to tie the game at 6 apiece. Lubbock Christian fought to a slim 21-18 advantage against a struggling DBU offense. The Lady Patriots went on a 5-0 run to go up, 23-21, but their 11 attack errors and .140 hitting percentage in the set proved too much as they surrendered the first frame in deuce play.
 
Looking for redemption, DBU sprinted to a 12-4 lead in the set two. Lubbock Christian began to challenge, narrowing the margin to 2, but the Lady Patriots stayed steady, never trailing in the set thanks in part to Leah Palensky's 7 digs and AJ Koele's 6 kills.
 
The Lady Chaparalls sought revenge of their own in the third set. With the score tied at 13, the Lady Patriots pulled ahead to a four-point edge, forcing an LCU timeout. With five players recording a plurality of kills, a DBU offense that hit .387 gave the Lady Patriots the upper hand heading into the fourth set.
 
After fighting to find a rhythm offensively in the first two frames, DBU carried its offense tempo from the third into the fourth. Behind 8-7, blocks by Shaylee Shore and Lindsey Otero provided the spark for a Lady Patriot 11-4 run. Koele's 6 kills on 6 attacks along with Otero and Shore's .500 hitting and a pair of Palensky aces carried DBU to claim the deciding fouth set.
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Lindsey Otero had a career night, setting personal bests in kills (14) and solo blocks (3).
- Leah Palensky set a season high with 20 digs.
- DBU have now recorded double-digit service aces in back-to-back matches as well as in four of their last five.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
10 - Four Lady Patriots registered at least 10 points in Friday's win (Delaney Fuller, AJ Koele, Lindsey Otero, and Shaylee Shore).
12 - Koele, Otero, and Shore also had 12 or more kills individually.
52 - Lauryn Burt's 52 assists are the most she has ever dealt, including her time in the Division I ranks.
 
LINDSEY OTERO AND COACH FISH ON DBU'S OFFENSE

 
UP NEXT
The Lady Patriots return to action on Saturday with another conference match. First serve against Eastern New Mexico is at 1:00 pm in The Burg Center.