THE RUNDOWN
Defense ruled the night as DBU took down Angelo State on Friday night at The Burg Center. Both offenses were limited to sub-.200 hitting percentages in the match.
 
The match began about as tight as was expected between the two opponents tied for second in the Lone Star Conference standings. The Lady Patriots (21-6, 13-2) started to pull away, 11-6, but the Rambelles tied the score at 11. DBU went on an 8-3 run, but ASU answered with a 6-2 stretch of its own. Leveled at 20, the Lady Patriots swiped five of the last seven rallies to take the opening frame.
 
Following another close start in the second, DBU went ahead, 11-6. ASU fought to minimize the gap, but the Rambelles did not reach closer than three points for the remainder of the set. The Lady Patriots hit .370 in the third, the most efficient frame offensively in the match for either squad.
 
ASU managed a small lead in the early stages of set three, but DBU even the totals at eight, nine, and ten apiece. Breaking the back-and-forth play, the Lady Patriots jumped to a 19-15 advantage, but the Rambelles responded with a 10-2 spurt to finish the set and force a fourth.
 
In the fourth, DBU started in front, 12-7. With the momentum shifting to the Lady Patriots, ASU picked up four straight tallies to bring the Rambelles within one. However, DBU countered with six straight before outpacing ASU to claim frame four and the match.
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Friday's win solidifies DBU's finish in the LSC at second or better.
- The Lady Patriots stay in contention for the top seed and hosting rights for the LSC Tournament. With No. 5 West Texas A&M topping Texas A&M-Kingsville on Friday night, DBU must win on Saturday versus UT Permian Basin, and WT must lose to Texas A&M International for the Lady Patriots to earn the number one seed.
- Four players for DBU posted an ace against ASU (Delaney Fuller, Jenna McMichael, Shaylee Shore, and Aryn Walton). 
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
6 - Jenna McMichael dotted a career-high six aces on Friday night.
9 - Delaney Fuller (17 kills, 11 digs) recorded her ninth double-double of the year.
10 - The Lady Patriots registered their seventh match of the season with 10 or more aces.
 
DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST JENNA MCMICHAEL AND SETTER LEXI LAMBERT ON THE WIN

 
UP NEXT
DBU wraps the regular season with a match at The Burg Center on Saturday against UT Permian Basin. The 2:00 p.m. match will be preceded by Senior Day festivities, honoring seniors Aurdrey Nunes, Leah Palensky, and Abby Phillips. Read Full Article