Box Score
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Mid-America Christian University Lady Evangels made things interesting after falling down 2-0 but succumbed to the John Brown University Golden Eagles 3-1 tonight (Sept. 19) in Sooner Athletic Conference action inside the Gaulke Activity Center.
The first set was a game of spurts as the Golden Eagles (10-4, 1-0 SAC) opened the match with five straight points only to have the Lady Evangels answer with five of their own.
It remained close the remainder of the set and kills by Shannon Niemeier and Athena Koch pulled MACU even at 23-23. JBU then escaped with the win after a service error and a kill from Shayna Daniels put the Golden Eagles on top in the match.
JBU followed that up with a dominating 25-4 win in the second stanza to take a commanding two set lead.
The Lady Evangels (2-11, 0-3 SAC) pulled together and got off to a good start in the third as two service aces from Camera Broadnax gave MACU an early 8-4 lead.
After the Golden Eagles responded with three straight points to come within 8-7, the Lady Evangels pulled away by scoring the next nine points on Niemeier's serve. The run featured an ace by Niemeier and kills from Hannah Luedtke, Kahdejah Henry and Mary Burkhead.
Another kill from Niemeier later capped the set for the Lady Evangels at 25-12.
The fourth set also went down to the wire as two more kills from Niemeier helped the Lady Evangels stake a 7-4 edge.
Following another kill from Niemeier that put MACU on top 14-12, the Golden Eagles responded by scoring six of the next seven points to jump out to an 18-15 lead.
Three kills by Audrey Dearien then fueled a set-ending 7-4 spurt that gave the Golden Eagles a 25-20 win in the fourth to close out the match.
Niemeier led the Lady Evangels with 15 kills and also contributed nine digs. Luedtke had a team-high 26 assists while Broadnax had a match-high 15 digs.
Dearien led three Golden Eagles in double-digit kills with 15 and Daniels had a team-best 26 assists. Becca Young paced the Golden Eagles with 13 digs.
The Lady Evangels will turn right around and host No. 18-ranked Oklahoma Baptist University tomorrow afternoon (Sept. 20) at 1 p.m.
