Abilene Christian’s four-game winning streak came to a halt on Saturday against cross-state rival Tarleton State.

The Texans opened the match by scoring the first five points in the first set and maintained the lead throughout, securing a 25-16 win. Sets two and three followed a similar pattern, both ending 25-19 as the Wildcats stayed competitive but fell short in each.

Despite the loss, the Wildcats enter their upcoming stretch following a strong four-match run. Wins over conference opponents West Georgia, Austin Peay, Little Rock and UT Arlington moved ACU near the top of the UAC standings in the league’s inaugural volleyball season. Over that four-match span, the Wildcats allowed only two sets across 14 played, establishing a position in the upper tier of the conference.

Freshman outside hitter Alyssa Todd leads the team offensively with 171 kills over 57 sets following the Tarleton State matchup, ranking sixth in the UAC. Senior setter Rachel Koss leads the UAC in assists.

On defense, Brennan Ramirez, redshirt sophomore libero, leads the conference in total digs and digs per set. Her defensive returns have provided additional offensive opportunities, contributing to ACU’s 12-6 overall record — the program’s strongest start through 18 matches since its transition to Division I.

That record includes a 7-2 mark inside Moody Coliseum. The Wildcats have 10 matches remaining before the inaugural United Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament in Little Rock, Arkansas, with five of those remaining matches scheduled at home in Abilene.

ACU opens its next stretch on the road with matches against Austin Peay on Thursday and conference-leader Eastern Kentucky on Saturday. The Wildcats return to Moody Coliseum on Thursday, Oct. 22, for a pivotal conference match against North Alabama.