Team Valentin-Anderson

Valentin-Anderson and Lowe lead team in defeat of Team Drews

© Athletes Unlimited, LLC 2022 / Credit: Jade Hewitt Media
Eric Rhew
Mar 25, 2022

DALLAS — Setter Natalia Valentin-Anderson and opposite hitter Karsta Lowe each authored a double-double as Team Valentin-Anderson secured a 70-66 victory over Team Drews in the nightcap of Friday’s Athletes Unlimited Volleyball doubleheader at Fair Park Coliseum.

Team Valentin-Anderson, which evened its record at 1-1, claimed the verdict by set scores of 25-21, 20-25 and 25-20. Team Drews also owns a 1-1 mark after suffering its first defeat of the week.

Valentin-Anderson captained her team to the victory after registering 33 assists with a team-high 13 digs. Lowe, meanwhile, contributed a match-high 18 kills while equaling her season high with 12 digs.

Team Drews was paced by its captain as outside hitter Dani Drews tallied a season-high 18 kills with eight digs in the loss. Outside hitter Aury Cruz chipped in nine kills and six digs, while libero Amanda Benson matched her season high with 19 digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Team Valentin-Anderson used six kills from Lowe to open the match with a 25-21 victory. But, Team Drews answered in the second set as Drews posted six kills of her own en route to a 25-20 win. Lowe came up big in the third set with eight kills as Team Valentin-Anderson secured the match win with a 25-20 decision.

MATCH NOTES

  • Drews has double-digit kills in all five matches this season … She also has 16 or more kills in each of the last three contests.

  • Lowe ran her streak of consecutive matches with 10 or more kills to 20 matches in a row after finishing with 18 kills … Lowe also surpassed the 300-kill mark for her Athletes Unlimited career.

  • Lowe also fashioned the seventh double-double of her AU career by contributing 12 digs in the contest.

  • After being named MVP 1 in the match, Lowe now owns eight career MVP awards in two seasons.

  • Outside hitter Lindsay Stalzer posted her second double-digit kill performance of the season with 11 kills in the victory for Team Valentin-Anderson … Stalzer had a career-high 13 kills on Mar. 18 against Team McClendon.

  • Valentin-Anderson ended the match with her third double-double of the season, including her second in as many matches during Week Two … The setter owns four consecutive matches with 30 or more assists.

  • In addition, Valentin-Anderson has three matches with double-digit digs this season … In the last two outings, she has tallied 30 digs.

  • Benson registered double-digit digs for the fourth time in her five appearances this season.

MATCH MVPS

  • #1 – Karsta Lowe (Team Valentin-Anderson, +60)
  • #2 – Taylor Sandbothe (Team Valentin-Anderson, +40)
  • #3 – Carli Lloyd (Team Drews, +20)

POINT-EARNERS

Team Valentin-Anderson won 140 win points on the night – 80 from its first and third set wins, and 50 for the overall match. Team Drews won the second set, 25-20, to take 40 win points.

Lowe led all players with 308 points in her double-double performance. She posted 18 kills and 12 digs. Stalzer added 12 kills and eight digs for 234 points, while Sandbothe accumulated 208 points with two aces. Captain Valentin-Anderson earned 222 points for her 33 assists.

Opposing captain Drews led her squad with 170 points. She posted 18 kills and eight digs in the loss. Lloyd picked up 150 points.

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