LUBBOCK, Texas – Sophomore
Riley Rabedeaux hammered home a career-high 20 kills in leading Adams State to a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Southwestern Oklahoma on day one of the Lubbock Christian University Invitational, moving the Grizzlies to 3-2 on the young season.
As a team, ASU hit .306, taking the final three sets of the match in the 20-25, 25-21, 28-26, 25-18 slugfest.
Rabedeaux was joined in the double-figure kill totals by
Anna Huggins with 13 and
Natalie Gallegos with 11.
In the opening set, the two teams split the first 20 points before SWO went on a 5-0 run to take control, pushing its edge to as much as eight at 20-12 en route to the opening-set win.
Adams State regrouped to take an early 6-3 lead in the next frame, only to have SWO score four-straight a few serves later to take a 12-11 lead.
After the Grizzlies tied the frame, ASU snuck out to an 18-15 advantage and maintained its edge before evening the match at a set apiece.
Set three saw the two teams go toe-to-toe until Adams State broke a 9-9 tie by scoring eight of the next 12 points to take a 17-12 lead.
SWO, however, took its own run, knotting the score at 21-21 and earning a set point at 25-24. Rabedeaux, however, saved the first set point, with Huggins proving the decisive blow five serves later to give the Grizzlies a 2-1 edge in the match.
The Grizzlies looked to put the Bulldogs away in the fourth, racing to an 18-11 lead behind the strong serve of
Cindy Garcia and brining ASU to match point behind a Garcia kill at 24-17. After a Bulldog putaway, SWO faltered at the service line on its next serve, ending the set at 25-18 and the match, 3-1.
ASU again won the battle at the net and in the trenches with Gallegos and
Madeleine Benally each earning four block assists, and Garcia digging a match-high 14 balls.
The Grizzlies continue tournament play tomorrow with two matches, beginning with a 1 pm (CT) battle against Texas Permian Basin.
