AUSTIN, Texas – Eastern New Mexico started off its bid in the LSC Crossover with a 3-1 over Oklahoma Christian on Thursday afternoon at the Recreations and Athletics Center on the campus of St. Edward's University. The Hounds improve to 7-3 on the season, while the Eagles are set back to 6-3.
 
The Eagles jumped out early in the first set and never looked back, with a 25-14 win during the first set (OC ended the set on a 15-4 run). In the second set, Oklahoma Christian again jumped out quickly to a 19-13 lead over ENMU. However, the Greyhounds sparked a large comeback to tie the contest at 1-1 in set, with a 25-21 set win. ENMU's comeback started with kills from Gracelyn Stubbs and Adriana Puni. With the score at 21-18 OC, Eastern closed the set with seven straight points, Stubbs picked up three service aces and a kill, while Puni posted two kills, Jordan O'Connor-Dempsey provided one kill in the stretch.
 
Neither team could be separated in the early stages of the third frame, with each team trading points back and forth. This pattern stayed like this until the Eagles picked up three straight points to take a 16-14 lead. However, the Greyhounds responded with six straight points, 20-16 ENMU, after two kills from Anjolina Perez and Mikaela Garvin, along with a kill from Stubbs and a OC ball handling error. ENMU closed out the set with the final four points, 25-19, with Perez posting two service aces to end the set.
 
Like the third set, each team were back and forth with not much separating the teams at 16-16. However, the Greyhounds took control of the final set with a 9-1 run stretch. The Hounds rattled off three straight kills from Garvin, Kali Nelson, and Perez to take the score to 19-16. After an Eagle reply, the Hounds picked up six straight points to end the contest. Perez posted a kill and two service aces in the streak. Eastern finished the final set 25-17 winners, and the match 3-1.

NOTABLE STATS

• The Greyhounds picked up 49 kills on the evening, with Oklahoma Christian managing 40 kills. Eastern edged out the Eagles in-terms of digs, 74-71.
• Garvin hit for 13 kills, leading all competitors. Nelson contributed nine kills to the Hounds effort, while Perez supplied eight kills.
• Qitana Sapiga paced the Hounds with 18 assists in the match, while Jaylynn Nihipali added 16 assists.
• Eastern were well balanced defensively, with four Greyhounds hitting double digits for digs. Getsemani Carrasco led the group with 18 digs, Sapiga posted 14 digs, Puni added 13 digs, and Perez finished with 11 digs.
• At the net, Stubbs led the effort with three total digs, while Garvin and Nelson each finished with two total blocks.

FROM THE SOURCE

"I'm very proud of our focus after dropping the first set," said Head Volleyball Coach Sia Poyer. "We really picked it up defensively to win the last three sets and our serving was huge,".

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The Hounds posted a season best from the service line, finding 11 service aces during the match. This mark ties the third most aces in program history for a four-set match.
• ENMU also posted a season high for digs with 74 digs.
• Sapiga supplied their first double-double of the season (18 assists and 14 digs), setting a season best for both.
• Both Puni and Perez tied a career best for digs with 13 digs and 11 digs, respectively.
• Stubbs and Perez both set a career high with four service aces during the contest.
• Eastern return to the floor tomorrow to battle St. Edward's, in the second day of action of the LSC Crossover. First serve is set for 5 p.m.