The Wildcat volleyball team went 3-1 after a rocky start at the Pittsburg State Invitational last weekend, improving to 15-5 for the season.

ACU’s first match against fifth-ranked Central Missouri on Friday was a flashback to last year’s defeat. The Wildcats dropped their first match 25-18, 25-17 and 25-22.

“Last year, we went to the same tournament, played the same teams and went 1-3,” said Head Coach Kellen Mock. “We made a huge change mentally this year. We understand how to win, and we are unwilling to let other teams beat us.”

The Wildcats bounced back in their second match to defeat Missouri Southern 3-0. They swept the Lions 25-14, 25-20, 26-24, and Jennie Hutt led the team in kills with 12.

ACU woke up on the right side of the bed Saturday, sweeping Newman and Pitt State. The ‘Cats beat the Newman Jets 3-1 in their first match, before defeating the Gorillas for the second time this season, 25-21, 25-15, 19-25, 26-24.

The match against Pitt State was close, and the final game went back and forth until the teams tied 23-23. The Wildcats took the lead with a block by Shawna Hines and Ijeoma Moronu, but the Gorillas tied it up again 24-24. ACU finally clinched the game with two consecutive points, knocking out No. 21 Pitt State.

The Wildcats will resume conference play at 7 p.m. Thursday against Texas Woman’s University in Moody Coliseum.

“Texas Woman’s is a historical solid program,” Mock said. “We have done everything we can hard to put ourselves high in the NCAA regional polls to try to get to the NCAA tournament. We cannot stub our toe through the rest of the conference; we have to take care of each match. We have to treat each opponent as if they are all the world.”