Bulldogs Fall to Leopards, 3-2

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- A double-double from Shavonne Respondek (San Antonio/Madison) was not enough as Texas Lutheran dropped a 25-23, 22-25, 25-23, 21-25, 8-15 decision to La Verne Friday morning in the opening match of the 2022 Trinity Fall Classic at Calgaard Gymnasium on the campus of Trinity University.

Respondek finished with a team-high 22 assists and 18 digs along with five kills and three service aces.

Both teams proved to be physical at the net with the Bulldogs recording 12.0 blocks and the Leopards finishing with 10.0 blocks. The Leopards out hit the Bulldogs .238 to .189.

Junior outside hitter Tanyse Moehrig (Spring Branch/Smithson Valley) led the Bulldogs offense with 11 kills while adding five digs and two blocks. Lexi Morris (Victoria/Victoria West) posted a team-high 19 digs and matched Respondek with a team-high three service aces. Madison Weisinger (Friendswood/Friendswood) hit .353 with eight kills to go with seven blocks.

In total, there were 25 tie scores and 17 lead changes in the five sets.

Texas Lutheran punched first in the opening set Friday morning, taking an early 15-8 lead before the Pirates clawed back to tie the set 21-all. Texas Lutheran would take the opening set 25-23.

The second set would tell the story of the rest of the match as the second set featured seven ties in a tightly contested set that saw the Leopards take a 25-22 decision.

The third set would see a whopping 13 ties and 10 lead changes before Texas Lutheran would take a 2-1 advantage following the narrow third set 25-23 win.

With their backs against the wall, the Leopards were able to force a decisive fifth set - taking the fourth set 25-21 in a set that featured three ties and two lead changes.

Coming down to a decisive fifth set, La Verne took a 7-4 lead forcing a Texas Lutheran timeout. A kill by Madison Weisinger stopped the Leopards 4-0 run, but the Leopards forced TLU head coach Phyllis Fowler to call her second timeout of the set as the Pirates moved to a 10-6 lead. La Verne would pull away to put the Bulldogs away, 15-8, handing Texas Lutheran their third loss of the season.