CNJ Staff
ABILENE, Texas — Jennie Hutt and Kalynne Allen posted double-doubles Saturday as Abilene Christian held off Eastern New Mexico University 27-25, 25-18, 25-21 in a Lone Star Conference volleyball match.
Hutt had 18 kills and 10 digs while Allen notched 13 kills and 12 digs for the Wildcats (8-7, 4-3 LSC), who pulled out a tight first set and then fought off the Zias (3-12, 1-7) in the third set.
Junior outside hitter Amber Durand had 11 kills and nine digs for the zias, while junior outside hitter Evelyn Escobar added 10 kills. Sophomore libero Dallas Russell had a team-high 19 digs.
The Zias led 3-0 and 7-4 in the first game, but Neely Borger had a pair of kills to spark the Wildcats’ 8-0 run. ENMU regained the lead several times later and was up 24-21 and 25-24 before kills by Sara Oxford and Hutt closed it out for ACU.
The Wildcats used a 5-0 run, including two kills from Oxford, to open a 16-10 lead in the second game and the Zias never got within three points after that. The third set was tight most of the way, but Hutt’s kill put the Wildcats in front for good 19-18 and started a 4-0 run.
ENMU pulled to 22-21, but Hutt added two more kills and an ENMU attack error on match point closed it out.
The Zias return to action on Tuesday with a 7 p.m. non-league match at New Mexico Highlands.
