The St. Thomas Celts faced off against the LeTourneau YellowJackets in a thrilling 4-set match at the Jerabeck Center in Houston, Texas, on September 2, 2023. St. Thomas emerged victorious, winning three sets to one.
The first set started with a powerful service ace from LeTourneau's Reina Lawson, setting the tone for an intense battle. However, Audrey Cataline, Laynee Beam, and Karrington Kays showcased their skills with 3 kills apiece, giving St. Thomas the edge. Kara Spice's strong defensive play at libero with 4 crucial digs was also instrumental in their 25-18 victory.
The second set saw LeTourneau bouncing back, but St. Thomas remained resilient. Finding themselves down, St. Thomas' Mia Medina and Audrey Cataline stepped up for a 24-21 lead. Yet it wasnt enough due to a late surge from LeTourneau, and St. Thomas narrowly fell short, with the YellowJackets winning 30-28.
St. Thomas came back determined in the third set. Audrey Cataline continued to shine with her kills, and Karrington Kays provided excellent support. St. Thomas' blocking game was also on point as Alexis Boudnrin notched 2, helping lead the Celts to a commanding 25-15 victory.
In the fourth set, St. Thomas showcased their dominance. They took control early on, thanks to their serving, and never looked back.On top of five service aces, Kara Spice's precise digs and Audrey Cataline's powerful kills kept the pressure on LeTourneau. St. Thomas ultimately sealed the match with a 25-14 win in the fourth set.
Offensively, Audrey Cataline continued her impressive start to the year with 16 Kills in the match. Karrington Kays also joined Cataline with double figures in kills with 12. Also in double figures was Laynee Beam with 10.5 points. On the defensive end, Kara Spice led all players with 19 digs, along with Laynee Beam and Karrington Kays' five blocks each.
St. Thomas improved to 2-0 for the season as they will now head to UTD to faceoff against the Comets this Tuesday. Follow ustcelts.com for all scores and updates.
