ODESSA, Texas (October 30, 2026) – After dropping the first two sets, The University of Texas Permian Basin women's volleyball team won the third set with eight straight points, and then scored the first five points of the fourth set to make it a 13-0 run between the two sets and set up a thrilling conclusion against Lubbock Christian University. In the end, however, the Falcons fell 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 24-26, 25-23) against the Lady Chapparals.
UTPB was paced by
Nickilah Whatley with 12 kills while
Makenna Grimes and
Addison Parks both added nine kills and
Giselle Orellana had eight.
Emma Gonzalez totaled 23 assists and three service aces, and
Kierra Freeman had 21 assists and 10 digs. Lastly, libero
Kyndall Torres recorded a match-high with 15 digs.
UTPB led 11-7 in aces, tying its second-highest number of the season, but also committed 10 service errors compared to seven for LCU. The biggest difference, however, was a 13-2 advantage in blocks for LCU, UTPB's most blocks allowed in a match this season. The results made sense as LCU came into the match with its biggest impact coming from the service line and at the net. The Lady Chaps were averaging 1.58 aces per set, ranking 10th in the LSC, and 1.90 blocks per set, ranking seventh.
UTPB trailed by scores of 5-1 and 8-3 early in the first set, but came back when three straight kills by Grimes made it a one-point deficit (10-9), a kill by Whatley tied it (10-10), and an LCU attack error wrapped up the 5-0 run with UTPB ahead 11-10. LCU would counter right back with a 4-0 run, and the Falcons' hitters did their best to try and keep UTPB within two points as a pair of kills by Orellana made it a 14-12 deficit and a 15-13 deficit, respectively, before a kill by Whatley made it a 16-14 deficit.
After Whatley's kill, a block assist by
Precious Johnson and
Sydney Bradley got UTPB to within one point (16-15), but UTPB could not tie it after committing a service error, and then the LCU block party took over. LCU won five of the next six points after the kill by Whatley, the final point of that run coming on a block to make it a 21-16 lead. Then LCU's fourth and final block of the opening set made it 24-18 and came during a 4-0 run to win the set for the Lady Chaps.
A 4-0 run for UTPB on back-to-back kills by Grimes and Orellana followed by back-to-back LCU attack errors made it an 11-7 lead for the Falcons in the second set. UTPB later led 13-8 on an ace by Freeman and 15-10 after a kill followed by an ace on back-to-back points by Orellana. The five-point lead, however, would not hold up as back-to-back blocks by the Lady Chaps tied it at 17-17 before another block, LCU's fifth block of the set, capped a 6-1 Lady Chaps' run to take a 20-18 edge. Despite cutting its deficit to one point three straight times, UTPB was unable to come back and tie it as the Falcons lost the final three points of the set, starting on a service error by UTPB and ending on an ace by LCU.
The Falcons committed 10 attack errors in each of the first two sets, but cleaned it up and had only nine the rest of the way.
The LCU attack was red-hot to start the third set, hitting .400 percent while racing out to a 14-8 lead. LCU continued to rack up the kills as its 10th kill of the set made it 15-9 and its 12th and 13th kills made it 17-10 and 18-12, respectively. At that point, LCU had recorded a kill on each of its last five points before a UTPB attack error made it 19-12. LCU ultimately led 24-18 after a kill by sophomore Camdyn Sears. However, with a chance to end the match, Sears sent her ensuing serve long to continue the match, and then Gonzalez followed with an ace to keep it going.
The Lady Chaps began the third set with 18 kills and one attack error (.472 percent) before committing their second attack error of the set to make it 24-21. Then things got interesting as the second attack error in a row by LCU made it 24-22, and then the second ace in the last four points by Gonzalez made it 24-23. It was also the Falcons' fifth ace of the third set.
The run that no one saw coming continued as another LCU attack error tied it at 24-24, and then back-to-back kills by Parks and Grimes, both on the assist from Gonzalez, secured the 26-24 win and sent a shockwave throughout the Falcon Dome.
UTPB made it 13 straight points when an ace by Whatley made it a 5-0 start in the fourth set. From there, Parks and Gonzalez began to take over. A kill by Parks made it 6-2 before the third ace in the last 16 points of the match by Gonzalez made it 7-2. Another kill by Parks made it 8-4 before a setter kill by Gonzalez made it 10-7, and then the fifth kill of the set by Parks made it a 14-12 lead.
Both teams were hitting over .300 percent halfway through the fourth set, but after back-to-back kills by Grimes made it a 16-13 Falcons' lead, LCU got back into it with a block to tie it at 16-16 before taking a 17-16 lead with a service ace placed perfectly on the back line in between two Falcons.
A big challenge by UTPB Head Coach
Melissa Avila late in the match was successful, leading to a blocking error on LCU to tie the score at 18-18 in the fourth set, and then UTPB led 19-18 after a service ace by Freeman. It was later 20-20 after a kill by Orellana, but two more blocks for LCU, numbers 12 and 13 of the night, made it 22-20 and then 23-21, respectively, in favor of the Lady Chaps.
It looked for a second like UTPB might eke out the set late again when a service error followed by a bad set by the Lady Chaps tied it at 23-23, but an attack error by Sears was challenged by LCU and overturned to a kill to put LCU back in front (24-23). Looking to make up for her service error late in the third set, Sears stepped back up to the service line, and this time it went right off the top of the net and down on UTPB's side of the court, ending the match in an abrupt fashion.
Sears totaled 16 kills, 16 assists, seven digs and two service aces to lead the Lady Chaps to victory. Sears recently recorded three triple-doubles over a four-match span. Her three triple-doubles rank second in the Lone Star Conference and fourth nationally. In 2025, Sears was named an AVCA All-America Honorable Mention setter. She is also the reigning LSC Setter and Freshman of the Year.
It was the end of a three-match winning streak for UTPB (8-12 overall, 3-11 LSC), while for LCU (12-13, 8-7), its postseason hopes are still alive. Beginning with Friday's match vs. UTPB, LCU entered its final three LSC matches tied for 10th, chasing one of nine LSC Championship berths. UTPB, meanwhile, is now mathematically eliminated from postseason contention despite its recent surge entering the final four matches of the regular season.
The Lady Chaps are coming off a 25-8 campaign in 2025, which included their first regular season title, as they shared the conference's top spot with Angelo State University after a 15-2 conference record. After advancing to the LSC Championship final, the season ended with LCU's first-ever NCAA Division II Tournament appearance as LCU went to Denver, Colorado, and participated in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional.
Up next will be UTPB's final home match and Senior Day as the Falcons take on Midwestern State University. Senior Day festivities will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, followed by the battle on the court between the Falcons and the Mustangs shortly thereafter.
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