In another five-set thriller, the Wildcats outlasted the Mavericks from the University of Texas-Arlington in the first round of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament. 

This is the team’s first WAC tournament victory and is the first tournament victory in any conference since 2017. Head Coach Ijeoma Moronu Alstrup has led the team to 13 wins so far this season, the highest total since the 2018 season. 

Hannah Gonzalez, junior middle blocker from Lucas, said this win is a big deal for the program, both this season and moving forward for the seasons to come. 

“We are turning a new chapter, we’re writing a new legacy, a new story for ACU Volleyball,” she said. “Going out there with all of my best friends, hitting balls, playing with confidence, playing for the Lord, was like the funnest thing ever, and actually winning made it even more special.”

Gonzalez and Ashli Edmiston, senior outside hitter from Wilsonville, Oregon, led the charge for the Wildcat offense with 12 kills apiece. 

Annaleise Sevier, sophomore outside hitter from Aubrey, and Aubrey Beaver, junior outside hitter from Murrieta, California, also recorded 10 kills each. 

Gonzalez hit .474 in the match with only three errors, and she had the winning kill in the fifth set for the Wildcats. She also played well defensively, recording seven total blocks. 

She said she was proud of how the team persevered through the long sets. 

“That was one of the most exhausting games we’ve ever played,” Gonzalez said. “We were depleted towards the end, but knowing that we worked so hard all year to reach this moment, everyone just really, just rose to the occasion and did their job and played super well.”

Moronu Alstrup said hosting this year’s tournament is very beneficial to the Wildcats because they will be able to rest at their own homes instead of hotel rooms, and routines will be able to remain very similar to normal.

“We talk about how it’s such a blessing to be at home,” she said. “But obviously, there are also distractions that we might not have if we were at a different venue, so maximizing us being able to rest and recover and then just turn our eyes against our next opponent.”

The Wildcats will have a quick turnaround to their next game–Friday at 7 p.m. against the No. 1 seed in the tournament, Utah Valley University.