HUGE FIVE-SET WIN SNAPS WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL’S LOSING STREAK

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A big, five-set victory over Culver-Stockton on Saturday afternoon ended Avila women's volleyball's five-game losing streak. One of the tightest matches of the season saw Avila come out on top, 3-2 – including two set wins coming in extras.

Da'Mya Dickson had one of the best games of her young collegiate career, finishing with 31 assists and 16 digs. Sophia Giorgio had 21 digs, her second-most in 2025, while freshman Emerson Sweet finished with 10 kills, second on the team to Maddie Jones' 17.

Avila took the opening set, 26-24. A back-and-forth set throughout play, neither team led by more than four. Tied at 18 late in the frame, the teams traded points throughout, with Avila squeaking by with a two-point victory in the opening set.

Culver-Stockton took the second set 25-18 before Avila used extras again in the third to pick up a 27-25 win.

Both teams traded runs in the third set, with Avila opening on a 4-0 run, followed by a 6-0 run from Culver-Stockton. A 7-2 run from the Eagles set up a nearly identical 7-3 run from the Wildcats. Alternating points for much of the set eventually fell in Avila's favor with the third-set victory capped off by a 4-1 run and a 27-25 third-set win.

Culver-Stockton forced a fifth set with their 25-23 win in the fourth. At one point in the penultimate set, Avila held a 16-11 lead before the Wildcats came storming back, taking momentum with a 6-1 run and ending the set on a 7-2 run to add a fifth set to the schedule.

Home-court advantage went Avila's way in the decisive set. Another tight frame titled in Avila's favor after the teams were tied at five. Avila wrapped up the match on a 10-6 run capped off by back-to-back kills from Megan Davies and Sydney Owens to help Avila improve to 5-10 on the season as the Eagles near conference play.

Avila took control in the fifth set with a .429 hitting percentage and seven kills.

Six different Eagles recorded a service ace in the match, led by two each from Sydney Martin and Maddie Jones.

Additionally, Payton Hofer picked up 11 kills and a .273 percentage on the afternoon, her first double-figure kill match since September 5. 

Avila will have a bit of time off from game play as they are back on the court at Mabee Fieldhouse on Friday at 6 PM against Missouri Valley for Homecoming.

 (photo credit: Victoria White)