The No. 8-ranked WTAMU Lady Buffs volleyball team traveled to Abilene to play the Abilene Christian Wildcats on Oct. 13. The Lady Buffs got swept in straight sets for their second Lone Star Conference loss. The loss makes the first time since 2005 WT has had multiple conference losses.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the first set before the Lady Buffs scored four consecutive points to cut it to 7-6. With the score 15-13 in favor of ACU, a 10-4 Wildcat run clinched set one 25-17.
ACU scored the first seven points of the second set and led 9-1 when a WT run of 9-2 cut the deficit to 11-10. Both teams would trade blows back and forth throughout the set. The Lady Buffs had a 20-19 lead when a 6-2 Wildcat run clinched the set for ACU.
WT had a quick 5-1 advantage in set three before the Wildcats came back and tied it at five. Trailing 14-11, the Lady Buffs went on a 9-3 run out of a timeout that gave them a 20-17 lead. ACU would rally and outscore WT 11-6 to win the clinching set 28-26.
“Worst loss of my career,” said Head Coach Jason Skoch. “It was the worst because we have worked on team building all week and we are not a team.”
The Lady Buffs were led offensively by sophomore Kameryn Hayes with 14 kills; senior Erin Dougherty and junior Halie Harton each had nine. Senior Lacy Hayes dished out 37 assists and senior Lauren Beville tallied 18 digs.
WT is now 16-3 on the year with a 7-2 mark in LSC play. The Lady Buffs’ next game will be Oct. 16 versus Eastern New Mexico at 7 p.m. in Canyon.
