The Lady Warriors traveled to Conway Ark. on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 5-6 to compete in the Mustang Invitational hosted by Central Baptist College. Sterling came out of the tournament with three wins, includings sweeps of both the University of the Ozarks and Dallas Christian University.
University of the Ozarks
Sterling College swept University of the Ozarks 25-17, 25-21, 25-10 the first game of the Mustang Invitational in Conway, Ark. on Friday, Sept. 5. Sterling’s efficient offensive play was evident with a .213 hitting percentage, outmatching University of the Ozarks’ negative hitting percentage. The match featured a standout serving performance from the Sterling College Warriors, recording nine aces, which contributed significantly to their commanding victory.
Sterling opened the first set with a steady performance, capitalizing on the Eagles’ service errors early on. A pivotal moment came when Taylor “Dru” served through a crucial stretch, contributing to a 5-0 run that pushed Sterling ahead 11-6. Later, Gracie Kirchhoff‘s back-to-back kills, assisted by Keala Wilson, extended Sterling’s lead to 20-13. The set concluded with a strong Sterling defense, as Kirchhoff and Aliya McClanahan combined for a decisive block, securing a 25-17 win in the opening set.
Sterling opened the second set with a commanding performance, highlighted by a seven-point run starting at 2-1, fueled by the consistent serving of Kaleigh Guhr and effective kills from Kirchhoff and Chloe Schmidt. Despite a brief scoring surge from the Eagles, Sterling maintained control with pivotal plays from McClanahan and Kodie Herd, pushing the score to a decisive 25-21 victory. The Eagles called timeouts at 8-1 and again at 21-16, but Sterling’s resilience and strategic play ultimately secured the set win.
Sterling seized control early in the third set against the Eagles, jumping out to a 6-1 lead fueled by key plays from Kirchhoff and Guhr’s service ace. Midway through the set, Brooklyn Kuster delivered a series of pivotal plays including two service aces and capitalizing on opponent errors to extend the lead to 15-5. Despite a timeout by the Eagles, Sterling’s offensive momentum continued with Schmidt and Kalli Kaser contributing decisive kills, closing the set at 25-10.
Kirchhoff led the Sterling College Warriors with nine kills and added three digs, contributing a total of 10 points. Wilson facilitated the offense with 14 assists while collecting five digs. McClanahan recorded seven kills with a hitting percentage of .333 and accounted for four blocks. Schmidt added five kills on 10 attempts, achieving a .400 hitting percentage, and contributed two service aces.
Louisiana Christian University
Sterling College defeated Louisiana Christian University in four sets, 25-16, 21-25, 25-18, 25-19, on Saturday, Sept. 6 in the second game of the Mustang Invitational. Sterling capitalized on strong serving, recording eight aces to Louisiana Christian’s three. The match saw Sterling’s defense outdig their opponents 71 to 67, contributing to their decisive victory.
Sterling opened the first set with a dominant performance, surging to a 5-0 lead behind kills from Schmidt and Abigail “Abi” Howard, both assisted by Wilson. A strategic timeout by Louisiana Christian at 12-4 did little to stop the momentum, as Sterling extended the gap to 16-4, highlighted by a service ace from Grace Battershell. Despite a late push by the Wildcats, Sterling maintained control, closing the set 25-16 with a final kill from McClanahan, assisted by Wilson.
Sterling began the second set with a strong 3-0 lead, driven by McClanahan’s two consecutive kills, and maintained momentum with strategic contributions from Wilson, who assisted on multiple plays. Despite a resilient response from Louisiana Christian, which saw the score tied at 9-9, Sterling briefly regained the advantage at 14-16 on McClanahan’s continued offensive efforts. However, late in the set, the Wildcats’ run, supported by consistent play from Jessica Smith, secured a 25-21 victory despite Sterling’s late push, highlighted by Schmidt’s timely kills.
Sterling opened the third set with a decisive 4-0 run, highlighted by Kirchhoff’s three consecutive kills, each assisted by Wilson. Despite a brief rally by Louisiana Christian that tied the score at 8-8, Sterling regained momentum with a strategic timeout and built a commanding lead, buoyed by key plays from McClanahan and Kirchhoff. The set concluded with Sterling securing a 25-18 victory, with McClanahan tallying the final point off another assist from Wilson, underlining Sterling’s strong finish.
Sterling opened the fourth set assertively, with Caitlyn Belote and Wilson combining for the first point, setting the tone for an intense set. A mid-set surge saw Sterling take advantage of Louisiana Christian’s errors, with Wilson delivering a service ace to level the score at 5-5. Sterling’s momentum continued after a strategic timeout by the Wildcats, with Schmidt and McClanahan contributing crucial kills. The visiting team sealed the set with a decisive 25-19 victory, highlighted by McClanahan’s final kill from Emma Butler‘s setup.
McClanahan led Sterling with 19 kills on 27 attempts, finishing with a .593 hitting percentage for a total of 21 points. Wilson contributed significantly with 30 assists and also tallied 20 digs. Schmidt was a defensive force, recording three solo blocks and two assisted blocks, combining for five total blocks. Kirchhoff added 13 kills and seven digs, bolstering the team’s overall efforts on the court.
Dallas Christian University
Sterling College swept Dallas Christian College 25-12, 25-12, 25-15 on Saturday, Sept. 6 in the third and final game of the Mustang Invitational. Sterling recorded a .299 hitting percentage and notched 11 service aces, overpowering the Crusaders’ defense. The match lasted just over an hour, showcasing the Warriors’ dominance with 38 kills and 36 assists.
The first set began with Sterling capitalizing on an early service error from Dallas Christian, setting the tone for a strong performance. Lindsey’s service ace at 2-2 launched a decisive 5-0 run, featuring kills from Maddie Lundeen and Schmidt, and culminating in a 6-2 lead. Wilson consistently facilitated the offense, recording multiple assists, including one that led to a kill by Kalli Kaser, widening Sterling’s advantage to 20-10. Despite a brief rally by Dallas Christian, Sterling maintained control, sealing the set with a 25-12 victory on an attack error by Jessalyn Gutierrez.
The second set began with the Warriors establishing dominance through a six-point run, highlighted by Herd’s consecutive kills and Wilson’s service ace at 6-0. Sterling maintained momentum despite a brief Crusaders’ response, with Wilson assisting multiple kills, including a crucial point from Kirchhoff at 9-3. After a timeout called by Dallas Christian at 13-4, Sterling continued to control the set, with Schmidt’s decisive kill at 25-12 sealing the set.
Sterling started the third set with a quick lead as McClanahan secured the first point with a kill assisted by Wilson. The team maintained momentum, as Battershell and Butler contributed significantly with service aces and assists, helping the Warriors to an 8-3 lead. A strategic timeout by Dallas Christian at 17-6 couldn’t halt Sterling’s advance, as key plays from Schmidt and Howard secured crucial points. Sterling closed the set with a decisive 25-15 victory, highlighted by Belote’s kill from a Butler assist, ensuring the set ended in Sterling’s favor.
Schmidt led Sterling with nine kills, achieving a .412 hitting percentage. Wilson contributed significantly with 23 assists and added three service aces. Lundeen was effective at the net with six kills and three block assists. Herd showed efficiency in her performance, tallying five kills on seven attempts for a .571 hitting percentage.
The Lady Warriors (9-2) will take the next week to prepare for their conference opener against Kansas Wesleyan University (4-4) to be played in Sterling, Kan. on Tuesday, Sept. 16.
Be sure to check for news and updates on Sterling Warrior Athletics on Facebook (/SCWarriors), Twitter (@SterlingCSports), and Instagram (sterlingcsports), as well as the hashtag #SwordsUp. Watch the Warriors’ live home events on the Sterling College Sports Network.
