ARGYLE — The Bishop Lynch volleyball team rallied from an opening-set loss to defeat Liberty Christian 3-1 in Tuesday's TAPPS area playoff match, securing a spot in the regional round for the 19th consecutive season.
Bishop Lynch 3, Liberty Christian 1 (24-26, 25-17, 25-19, 25-15)
The Friars leaned on their senior leadership to close out the road playoff victory. Camila Figueroa and Maia Raleigh each recorded double-doubles, while Kylie Love matched Figueroa with a team-high 17 kills. Love hit .318, and Charlie Wells added six kills on nine attempts while leading the Friars with four blocks.
After Bishop Lynch dropped the opening set, Figueroa helped spark the turnaround. The outside hitter finished with team highs of 17 kills and 16 digs, while Raleigh orchestrated the offense with 40 assists and added 10 digs and four aces.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 | The Friars faced an early challenge, hitting .189 with 11 kills as Liberty Christian established its offensive rhythm with 19 kills and a .300 hitting percentage. Bishop Lynch battled back from a late deficit, fueled in part by Raleigh's three aces and Maddie Pope's four digs, but the Warriors held on for a 26-24 win to take the opening set.
SET 2 | Bishop Lynch responded with its back against the wall. Figueroa delivered eight kills and seven digs in the set, providing the spark the Friars needed to even the match. Love added four kills, including the set winner, as Bishop Lynch hit above .300 to take a 25-17 victory.
SET 3 | With the match tied, the Friars' senior leadership came through again. Figueroa, Love, and Wells combined for 14 kills on a .448 hitting percentage with just one error. Raleigh added 14 assists as Bishop Lynch posted match highs with 17 kills and a .390 hitting percentage. Wells delivered the set-clinching kill in a 25-19 win, giving the Friars their first lead of the night.
SET 4 | Bishop Lynch seized control early, opening the fourth set on an 8-1 run. Emory Mooney recorded three of her seven kills in the set, matching Figueroa for the team lead in the frame. The Friars added four aces and held Liberty Christian to a .000 hitting percentage while hitting .267 themselves. Love's 17th kill sealed a 25-15 win and sent Bishop Lynch through to the regional round.
STAT LEADERS
» Kills: Camila Figueroa & Kylie Love, 17
» Assists: Maia Raleigh, 40
» Digs: Camila Figueroa, 16
» Blocks: Charlie Wells, 4
» Hitting Percentage (Minimum 10 Attempts): Emory Mooney, .350
» Aces: Kylie Love & Maia Raleigh, 4
GAME NOTES
- The Friars improved to 19-2 all-time against Liberty Christian, dating to 2010.
- Bishop Lynch has reached the regional round in 19 consecutive seasons, dating to 2008.
- The Friars improved to 6-3 in true road matches this season.
- Raleigh recorded her 12th double-double of the season with 40 assists and 10 digs. It was her fifth match with at least 40 assists this season.
- Figueroa recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 17 kills and 16 digs.
- Pope recorded a career-high 10 digs.
- Wells has recorded at least four blocks in 10 matches this season.
NEXT UP
The Friars advance to the regional round and will travel to Plano for the second consecutive season to face top-ranked Prestonwood Christian Academy on Thursday, Oct. 29. First serve is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the PCA Athletic Complex.
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