OKLAHOMA CITY - Da'Jah Thompson has been a big part of the Mid-America Christian University volleyball team's offense for the last two seasons, and on Friday evening, Thompson reached a career milestone.
The junior outside hitter from Tyler, Texas picked up her 400th career kill, and she led MACU (11-12) to a four set win over Randall University (13-16), 25-22, 22-25, 25-14, 25-17.
MACU roared out of the gate to open the match as Alexa Bass served MACU on a 10-0 run to open the match, but Randall rallied with a 6-1 run in the middle stages of the frame to close the gap to 16-11. The Evangels were able to stem the tide of the run and keep a modest advantage into the late portions of the set, but another Randall run late in the stanza - this time a 5-1 spurt, closed the gap to 23-21 before4 the Evangels took two of the final three points in the frame to claim the set win 25-22.
Randall struck first in the second set, but it was MACU who inched in front, claiming a 13-8 lead. The rest of the frame was encapsulated in three long runs, the first from Randall - an 8-1 spurt that pushed the Saints in front 16-14. MACU answered with a 6-0 run to reclaim the lead at 20-16, and after the teams traded points to reach 21-17, Randall closed out the second set with another 8-1 run to take the set 25-22 and ensure that the match would see a fourth set.
Set three was a battle for much of the stanza, but the a late run helped MACU find a little breathing room. The set was tied four times in the first half of the frame, and the score was 13-11 MACU when Bass stepped back to serve for the second time in the set. Bass served MACU on a second 10-0 run that included another ace and seven kills - three by Thompson - as MACU cruised to the set win 25-14 to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
The fourth set followed a similar trajectory, as the teams remained close early, before MACU used a late run to open the margin up. Randall held a 12-11 lead when MACU began to take control. When the dust had settled, MACU had put together a 9-2 run to take a 20-14 lead, and a subsequent 4-0 spurt helped MACU put the set away in a 25-17 MACU win that gave the match to MACU 3-1.
Thompson led the Evangels with 15 kills, and Annika Barnett added 10 kills as well. Bass notched her ninth double-double with 33 assists and 10 digs, and Morgan Van Meir dished out 13 assists as well. Maegan Plunk pulled up 21 digs, and she was joined in double-figures by Gabrielle Poling and Kaylie Walker with 14 digs apiece. Bass also added an impressive seven service aces in the match.
MACU will return to the Gaulke Activity Center on Tuesday night for a Sooner Athletic Conference match against Langston University (4-21, 1-13 SAC). The match will also be a fundraising night for the MACU volleyball program on Volleyball Bingo night, as the Evangels attempt to raise money to help the team make a mission trip to Kenya in May. First serve is slated for 7 p.m.
