Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MEMPHIS—The Christian Brothers University Lady Bucs punched their ticket to next month's Gulf South Conference Tournament with a three-set win over Southern Arkansas Saturday afternoon in the first match of a tri-match.  The Lady Bucs edged Alabama-Huntsville in five sets in their second match of the day.

In the opener, the Lady Bucs (16-10, 8-1 GSC West) took control early as they jumped to an 8-0 lead.  The Lady Muleriders (13-12, 2-7) pulled within 18-16 before the Lady Bucs closed out a 25-18 win in the first set.  The Lady Bucs survived a 29-27 marathon to win in the second set after 15 ties and six lead changes.  Neither side led by more than four points, and there was no lead of more than two points after SAU led 16-13.  In the third set, the Lady Bucs pulled out another back-and-forth win, 25-22 after six ties and five lead changes.

Hailey Gillis (Corpus Christi, Texas/Carroll HS) led the Lady Bucs with 10 kills, while Corinne Doder (St. Louis, Mo./Cor Jesu Academy) posted a team-high 16 digs.  Kelsey Miles (Cordova, Tenn./St. Benedict HS) added 10 digs to her 32 assists, and Alison Welch (Olive Branch, Miss./Olive Branch HS) had seven kills in two sets.

In the second match, Alabama-Huntsville (9-20) took an early lead with a 25-19 win in the first set.  The Lady Bucs answered with a 25-19 win in the second set to knot the match, and CBU won the third set 25-21.  UAH kept the match alive with a 25-20 win to force a fifth set.  The Lady Bucs took control early in the fifth set, building a 9-4 lead, but UAH fought back to tie the match at 14.  Back-to-back kills by Gillis and Leigh Stavrum (Chattanooga, Tenn./Notre Dame HS) ended the match in CBU's favor.

Senior Michelle Hein (Tempe, Ariz./Corona del Sol HS) led the Lady Bucs with 17 kills, and Kaitlin Keathley (Henderson, Nev./Silverado HS) added 15 kills.  Stavrum tacked on 11 kills.  Doder posted a match-best 23 digs, while Miles had 55 assists.

With the win over SAU, CBU moved back into a tie with Arkansas Tech at 8-1 in the GSC West with three matches remaining, clinching a top-three seed in the GSC Tournament.  Harding sits in third place at 6-2, while Henderson State is 4-4.

Before the night match, CBU honored its two seniors, Hein and Stavrum, in Senior Day festivities.  The Lady Bucs hit the road Tuesday night at 7 p.m. as they visit Harding in a critical GSC West match.  Their next home match is Thursday night at 7 p.m. against Arkansas Tech.