SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. – A record-setting season came to an end for St. Gregory's Tuesday night in the first round of the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament. The Cavaliers dropped a 3-0 decision (25-14, 25-20, 25-16) to John Brown (Ark.) before more than 200 fans at Bill George Arena.
With the win, the Golden Eagles advance to Friday's semifinal round in Plainview, Texas. SGU, meanwhile, will look to build next season on what has undeniably been the program's most successful campaign.
The Cavs set program records for wins (19), winning streak (11) and conference victories (10) in 2016. Projected to finish eighth in the SAC preseason poll, SGU rose to as high as third late in the season before settling at fifth. The Cavs' victory over Texas Wesleyan in September was the program's first over a team either ranked or receiving votes in a national poll.
SGU (19-16) couldn't overcome a hot JBU team Tuesday. Winners of five straight, the Golden Eagles controlled the match from the outset.
JBU (21-11) hit a blistering .300 as a team for the match, including .345 in a first set during which it never trailed. A 9-2 run midway through the frame for the home team proved to be too much for the Cavs to overcome.
The second game was much closer. An Ashlyn Broussard kill from Sarah Ahrens cut SGU's deficit to 19-16 late. The Golden Eagles, however, kept the visitors at bay the rest of the way. Up 17-14 in the third, JBU put it away with an 8-2 run capped by a Molli Pugh kill from Alyssa Arnold.
Gabby Ware led the Cavs with nine kills and 12 digs. She hit a team-best .227. Ahrens tallied a team-high 20 assists. Courtney Murphy led SGU with three blocks.
Pugh and Carly McKinney combined for 20 kills on only two errors for the Golden Eagles.