Lady Lions volleyball clinched a hard-fought 3-2 (25-19, 20-25, 25-19, 18-25, 15-6) victory over Stephen F. Austin on Saturday, Nov. 2, extending their winning streak to 20.

The match showcased both teams’ resilience and determination. Each set was fierce, with momentum never staying with one team and keeping fans on the edge of their seats throughout the game.

In the first set, the Lady Lions dominated, with senior outside hitter Cicily Hidalgo scoring four service aces to secure a 25-19 win. Stephen F. Austin responded in the second set, capitalizing on SLU’s attack error to take the set 25-20.

The third set saw SLU regain the advantage with a 25-19 win, with sophomore opposite hitter Kyra McKelvey turning up the heat by delivering five additional kills and a block. 

McKelvey finished the match with a career-high 21 kills and earned SLC Player of the Week honors for her performance. SFA fought back to win the fourth set 25-18, forcing a fifth set.

The Green and Gold showed why they’re defending champions, as SFA proved unable to mount a challenge against SLU’s dominating play to close the match. Hidalgo’s service ace sealed the game at 15-6, giving the Lady Lions their 20th-straight victory.

Head coach Jeremy White commended the team for how they handled the pressure throughout the match. 

“I’m really proud of our girls because here we are on our home floor on Senior Day; such a big match on Senior Day could be a distraction at times. I thought they handled the pressure well. This is a championship program that’s been through the wringer,” White said.

McKelvey reflected on how she stayed focused during the match to deliver a career-high performance.

“I didn’t get in my head if I made a mistake. I always kept pushing, kept wanting to get the kill, always calling for the ball, always talking and being confident. Just always being on top of it,” McKelvey said.

Southeastern’s next game will be at 6:30 p.m. tonight in the University Center. Fans can listen live at 90.9 The Lion or watch on ESPN+. 

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