Recap: Hentz breaks single-season digs record in Team Lichtman victory
DALLAS — Outside hitter Leah Edmond registered 14 kills and added seven digs as Team Lichtman secured its first victory of Week Five with a 68-65 triumph over Team Drews in Athletes Unlimited Volleyball action at Fair Park Coliseum on Friday evening.
Team Lichtman, which won the match by set scores of 25-17, 25-23 and 18-25, evened its record to 1-1 in the week. Team Drews, meanwhile, dropped to 0-2 in the season’s final week.
Edmond was the only player for Team Lichtman to reach double figures in kills after closing with 14 kills and a .265 hitting percentage. Opposite hitter Falyn Fonoimoana chipped in nine kills and nine digs while outside hitter and team captain Cassidy Lichtman posted seven kills and eight digs.
Libero Morgan Hentz fashioned a match-high 16 digs, giving her a league single-season record 208 digs with one match remaining.
Outside hitter Dani Drews paced Team Drews in the loss with 12 kills, while outside hitter Erin Fairs contributed eight kills and seven digs. Setter Ray Santos authored her second straight double-double after finishing with 17 assists and 10 digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Edmond erupted for seven early kills to guide Team Lichtman to a 25-17 victory in the opening set. In the second set, Team Drews closed to within 24-23 before a block by middle blocker Emma Willis gave Team Lichtman the set victory and a 50-40 overall advantage. Team Drews avoided a three-set sweep by taking the final frame with a 25-18 verdict, including four kills from Fairs.
MATCH NOTES
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Friday’s match between Team Drews and Team Lichtman marked the 12th time this season a match has been decided by four points or less.
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Team Drews has registered 23 blocks in its two matches this week … Middle blocker Molly McCage led the charge in Friday’s loss with four of the team’s 11 rejections.
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Edmond has reached 10 or more kills in 10 of her last 11 matches after her 14-kill performance.
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Hentz has tallied a double-digit dig effort in 13 of her 14 outings this season … Hentz also earned her sixth match MVP award of the season, including her second MVP 1 commendation.
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Drews, who recorded a double-digit kill performance for the 14th consecutive match, also became the third player in league history to record 200 or more kills in a single season, joining outside hitter Jordan Larson and opposite hitter Karsta Lowe, who accomplished the feat last season.
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Drews remains the only athlete in the league this season with 14 straight double-digit kill outings.
MATCH MVPS
- #1 – Morgan Hentz (Team Lichtman, +60)
- #2 – Leah Edmond (Team Lichtman, +40)
- #3 – Molly McCage (Team Drews, +20)
POINT-EARNERS
Team Lichtman secured 140 of the 180 possible win points with its two set victories along with taking the match result. Team Drews avoided a sweep with its third set triumph to earn the remaining 40 points. Hentz earned MVP 1 honors to finish with 306 leaderboard points, while Edmond followed with 278 points and an MVP 2 distinction. McCage secured the MVP 3 points and finished with 112 points.
