ACU volleyball got off to a hot start this weekend as they participated in the University of Texas Hilton Invitational. The Wildcats nearly upset UT-Arlington in the first game, forcing it into five sets. Sophomore Jennifer Loerch led the way with 17 kills in the match.

ACU rebounded the following night with their first win as a Div. I school against Louisiana Tech. The win wasn’t as the Wildcats fought to the finish and earned a 3-2 win. ACU continued their historic weekend with a win of 3-0 over Grambling State.

“The team realized that if we can take care of the ball we can compete against anybody,” head coach Kellen Mock said.

The team became an offensive juggernaut throughout the tournament, which culminated in the dominance of Grambling State.

“We relied heavily on Jenny Loerch early in the weekend but we needed other people to score and that’s what happened against Grambling,” Mock said.

Sophomore Sarah Siemens also contributed the to team’s success. She didn’t just lead the team in assists but was also second in digs with 33. Siemens continues the trend of young players getting significant playing time.

“I am happy with the team’s performance and it was a good opening tournament for us,” Siemens said.

A solid tournament like this was a sign of things to come from this talented group. The positives of playing three Div. I games after playing Lone Star competition last year gives ACU an edge. The Wildcats should be feeling a lot of confidence as they play Texas Tech for their next two games.

“I have a lot of confidence in this and what we can accomplish,” Mock said. “We have a lot of young talent and we are going to rely on that a lot and prove ourselves.”