Ladyjacks Season Comes to an End in Five-Set Thriller Against Red Wolves

Friday, December 6

Nacogdoches, TX

6:00 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

24-9,14-2Southland

Arkansas State University

28-5,14-2Sun Belt

Arkansas St.

SFA

Ladyjacks Season Comes to an End in Five-Set Thriller Against Red Wolves

12/6/2024 10:13:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Amanda Paver, SFA Assistant Director for Strategic Communications

NACOGDOCHES, Texas- The Stephen F. Austin volleyball team (24-9, 14-2 SLC) faced off against the Arkansas State Red Wolves (28-5, 14-2 SBC) in the Super Sixteen of the NIVC.

The SFA offense was firing on all cylinders early as they jumped out to a 7-1 lead and then went on a four-point spurt to extend their lead to 11-2. ASU came back with a 5-1 run of their own to cut the lead down to five, 12-7. Both teams traded blows for the rest of the set, but the Ladyjacks won four of the final five points to secure a 25-19 first set victory.

SFA once again jumped out to an early 4-1 lead, but this time the Red Wolves came back and tied the set up at four. The Ladyjacks went on a three-point mini run to take a 7-4 lead thanks to back-to-back aces from Cambry Saul. Later an ace and a kill from Katherine Holtman helped extend the SFA lead to four, 10-6. ASU fought back and took a slim lead off a four-point spurt, 12-11. Both teams were successful in siding out until the Red Wolves went on an 8-1 run to finish out the second set by a score of 25-17.

An ace from Jayden Flynn and a kill from Harley Krause gave the Ladyjacks an early 3-1 lead, but once again the Red Wolves fought their way back with a 5-1 run to take a slim 6-4 lead. Later, ASU went on another 5-1 spurt to extend their lead to 11-6. Both teams sided out throughout most of the set, but the Red Wolves finished off the set with another 5-1 run to secure a 25-16 third set victory.

SFA took an early 5-2 lead in the fourth, but Arkansas State quickly tied the set back up at five. Both teams traded blows as neither team had more than a two-point lead until the 'Jacks went on a 7-0 run that was capped off by back-to-back aces from Natalie Guerrero to take a commanding 17-9 lead in the fourth. The Red Wolves went on a mini run to cut the deficit down to five, but SFA doubled them up with an 8-4 run to finish off the fourth set by a score of 25-16 and send the match to a decisive fifth set.

Neither team was willing to give an inch in the final set as neither team held more than a two-point lead until the Red Wolves went on a four-point spurt to take a 7-3 lead. SFA fought back and brought the score within two after back-to-back kills from Kennedy Jones, 10-8. After a point by Arkansas State, SFA went on a three-point run to tie the set up at 11. However, ASU answered that with a three-point run of their own and finished off the match with a block on an attack from Krause to win the final set by a score of 15-12.

Top Players of the Match:

• Kennedy Jones: 14 kills (led team), one block
• Caroline Kahle: nine kills, 12 digs, three blocks
• Jordan Henderson: eight blocks (led team & career high), seven kills
• Jayden Flynn: 25 assists (led team), 10 digs (eighth double-double of the season)
• Natalie Guerrero: three aces (led team & career high), 16 digs (led team)

The Ladyjacks finish an incredible season with a 24-9 record as the youngest team in Division I and with three All-Southland First Team selections.

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