Coming off its most challenging loss of the season, Amarillo College responded by securing its first-ever road victory against the Chaps.
Over the last four seasons, the Badgers had taken only one set from Midland College when traveling to the Permian Basin. AC needed only two frames to surpass that mark during their third conference match of the season.
The Badgers fought off a pair of set points in the second set to win the frame 27-25.
Sophomore Emery Bryan tied the second set at 24 all with a tip shot from her middle blocker spot. After a service error the following play, Delany Galligan put down a kill from the left side of the net to tie the match at 25-25.
MC proceeded with a hitting error, and Amarillo native Berkley Harper closed out the frame with a set-winning kill on a slide.
The freshman had a team-high 11 via the second-highest hitting percentage on the team (.235).
Harper is leading AC in the kill column through four conference games, averaging 10 kills per match. AC went on to win Wednesday’s road match vs. MC in four sets (25-20, 27-25, 17-25, 25-21), improving its conference record to 2-1.
As a team, the Badgers tallied a season-high block total (15) in Midland, paced by Harper’s five stuffs at the net.
London Baker and Tyler Pool split setting duties during the victory. Baker had a team-high 25 assists while playing in all four sets. Pool, who has played setter and libero this season, finished Wednesday’s contest with 15 assists.
Bryan led the team in hitting percentage during conference play last season, and she has been on a similar trajectory as an upperclassman. The Poolville native recorded a team-best .400 hitting clip, tallying eight kills on 15 swings vs. the Chaps.
Badgers outgunned by Wranglers
Amarillo College had its chances, but could not close the deal during critical moments of Saturday’s match in Odessa.
After a 25-20 first-set defeat, AC had Odessa College on the brink of defeat in set two.
The Badger rallied from a 14-11 deficit to take a 24-23 lead after Harper stuffed a cross-court attack attempt by Helen Woods.
Odessa recorded the final two points of the 28-26 set via AC hitting errors.
The Wranglers’ .308 hitting percentage was the second-highest rate by a Badger opponent this season.
AC’s .119 hitting clip vs. OC was the second-highest mark of conference play through four WJCAC games.
The Badgers are currently in fifth place in the WJCAC after splitting their first four conference outings.
