DENVER, Colo. – The Regis University Volleyball team, ranked #24 in the most recent AVCA Top 25 Coaches Poll, played their home openers on Friday afternoon against #9 West Texas A&M.
The game is a part of the first day of the Colorado Premier Challenge tournament, joint hosted by Regis and Metropolitan State University-Denver, featuring 12 of the best teams in NCAA Division II volleyball.
Regis fell to West Texas, 1-3 (17-25, 17-25, 25-20, 17-25), falling to 1-4 on the year, while West Texas improves to 4-2.
HOW IT HAPPENED
REGIS VS WEST TEXAS A&M
The Ranger took an early 7-3 lead behind kills by Halle Theis and Hannah Kepler, but West Texas quickly stormed back for the 12-9 lead. Theis ended the run with a kill, and Reagan Hickey assisted a Lindsey Cure block, but even three more late kills by Theis were not enough as WTAM took the first, 25-17.
"We are still struggling with a lot of unforced errors," noted Head Coach Joel List, "and when your playing really good teams, that makes a big difference."
The second set started with a Theis-Amelia Davis block, followed by two Davis kills to tie the match 5-5. The teams traded a variety of errors, and another Theis-Davis kill brought the score to 12-10. However, the Buffalos would go on a run, highlighted by a pair of service aces, to go up 18-12. Davis ended the run, and Taya Blankenship-Poydras produced a kill, but West Texas took control late for the 25-17 win.
"Amelia [David] and Reagan [Hickey] are still a bit out of rhythm, and that is a connection we need to be able to rely on in the middle," said List.
Brynn McNair led the Rangers with three early kills in the third, and Braiziah Dixon put down a solo block as RU jumped out to a 10-4 lead. Isabella Smith helped pace the Regis offense as they kept a comfortable lead over the Buffalos, with a pair of kills and an ace. Davis recorded a solo block of her own, and Thies brought it home, with four late kills en route to the 25-20 set win.
"When Hannah [Kepler] went out, I was impressed how Bell [Smith] and Lindsey [Cure] stepped up," continued List, "that is exactly what we need going forward as we look to improve."
It would be West Texas that jumped out to the big lead in the fourth, going up 9-1 on a Kaycee Cavanaugh kill. A pair of WTAM errors paused the run, and while Davis and Dixon produced kills, RU struggled to cut into the lead. Reagan Hickey and Davis assisted a block, then each had to bring the deficit to 18-12, but late kills from Dixon and Cure were not enough as West Texas set and match, 25-17.
"The fact is, we need to look ahead, because we can still make it to the Gold Bracket with a win over UM-St. Louis."
GAME NOTES
· Theis led all players with 15 kills, hitting .379, and had 16 digs for the double-double
· Angelina Oliver had 13 kills for West Texas
· Hickey posted a match-high 36 assists, while two Buffalos broke 20, Blair Moreland (23), and Ainsley Malis (21)
· Bre Skala posted 20 digs
· The Rangers had 10 blocks to seven from West Texas
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