Less than 17 hours earlier, UMHB jumped out to a 2-0 lead before losing a five-game match to East Texas Baptist.
After a sluggish start against Mississippi College, the Crusaders responded behind Melanie Daniell and Leigh Ann Hall and disposed of the Lady Choctaws 30-25, 31-29, 30-18 at Mayborn Campus Center to post their first home victory of the season in three tries.
“I think we were a little down at first when we started just because of last night, just from sheer exhaustion,” said UMHB coach Kecia Davis, whose team moved to 5-7 overall and 2-2 in the American Southwest Conference. “Last night we didn’t stay focused the entire time and didn’t finish what we started. Today, it took us awhile to get started.”
The Crusaders committed three attack errors on the first five points and trailed 4-1. Down 9-5, Hall and Daniell recorded consecutive kills. Mississippi College’s Camilla Rincon then scored to give the Lady Choctaws a 10-7 lead before UMHB freshman Kayla Skrobarcyzk had two kills and Katy Pierce added one to tie the game for the first time.
After Alexandra Johansson-Jones’ kill evened the game at 13, the Crusaders rolled. Pierce had two kills, Hall had a block and a kill and senior setter Stephanie Little added a kill and an ace for the victory.
“I think the first game was absolutely terrible for us,” Mississippi College coach Peter Cosmiano said. “Mary Hardin-Baylor came out and we didn’t give them much of a game. The second game, we decided to play a bit. They gave us some chances, but we didn’t capitalize.”
UMHB raced out to a 15-5 lead, but four errors on five points cut the lead to 15-10. The Lady Choctaws’ Sam Adams began to dominate at the net, recording five kills and teaming up with Katie Brandon on a block that tied the game at 24.
Mississippi College grabbed its first lead at 28-27 and had a chance to win the game serving up 29-28. UMHB’s Hall recorded two straight kills and the Lady Choctaws were unable to return her third attempt as the Crusaders staved off the comeback bid.
Hall had five of her 10 kills in the second game and has made quite an impression on Davis in the past week.
“Every since Tuesday against LeTourneau, she got in during the second game and was like a spark plug,” Davis said. “That’s what I’ve been looking for from her. She’s done that the past couple of matches and that’s why she’s earned her spot.”
In Game 3, Daniell recorded four kills and had a block and an ace as UMHB jumped out to a 19-9 lead and was never challenged. Daniell finished with a match-high 11 kills.
“We have to start out a little bit better,” Cosmiano said, referring to his slow starts in the second and third games. “I have to give it to Kecia. They’ve put together a really good squad. They had a great match last night and came back and rolled over us in three. They’re solid, but we need to come out ready to play.”
cmeister@temple-telegram.com
