Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

COMMERCE, TEXAS- The A&M-Commerce volleyball team split a pair of matches with a 3-2 win over Southern Arkansas and a 3-1 loss to No. 17 Colorado School of Mines on day one of A&M-Commerce Classic hosted in the Lion Fieldhouse Friday. Amy Davault had 32 kills on the day including 20 in the win over Southern Arkansas.
 
Game 1
 
The Lions jumped off to a 13-7 lead to start the first set. Southern Arkansas was able to climb back into the match, but a huge kill by Davault halted the Muleriders momentum. The Lions held off the Muleriders for the 25-15 set one win. Davault had seven kills including three of the last four kills of the match.
 
Southern Arkansas jumped out to a 4-0 lead to start the second set. The Lions tried to climb back by three kills by Taryn Driver allowing A&M-Commerce to narrow the gap to 7-4. The Muleriders went on another big run taking a 17-10 lead. Following a Lions time out Southern Arkansas rattled off four straight points to run away with the second set 25-13.
 
The third set started off with  back and forth action, but a kill and block by Courtney Tate sparked a Lions five-point run giving the Lions a 12-6 lead. The Muleriders climbed back into the match, however, a Driver block and kill on back-to-back plays gave the Lions a 16-11 lead en route to taking the third set 25-18.
 
The fourth set was a nail-biter that included eight ties and five lead changes early in the set.  The Muleriders ran away with the set 25-17, tying the match at two games apiece. Southern Arkansas had a hitting percentage of .393 in the fourth set compared to the Lions .095 hitting percentage.
 
In the rubber match Southern Arkansas jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead. Following a Lions time out A&M-Commerce went on a huge run to take a 12-9 lead thanks to a solo block by Chassidy Hill and an assisted block by Veronika Baric and Sydney Reyes. The Lions closed the game scoring six of the final seven points to win the set 15-9, and the match.
 
The Lions outkilled Southern Arkansas 65 to 46, despite having a lower hitting percentage .173 for A&M-Commerce and .185 hitting percentage for the Muleriders.
 
Hill has her first double-double of the year with 15 digs and 13 kills. Davault added a game-high 20 kills, and Tate contributed with a game-high 55 assists. Amanda Mireles had a team-high 23 digs.
 
Game 2
 
The Lions fell behind early to Colorado School of Mines (CSM) 16-10 in the first set. A kill by Chassidy Hill sparked a six-point run for A&M-Commerce and tying the score to 18-18. Tryan Driver's kill tied the set 22-22, and sparked a three-point run as A&M-Commerce took the first set 25-23. The Lions outhit CSM .205 to .163 in set one.
 
The Orediggers took a 12-8 lead to start the second set. The Lions were able to hang with CSM getting the score as close as 15-12. However, the Orediggers went on to take set two 25-19.
 
CSM jumped on top of the Lions right away in set three taking 13-2 lead. It was a lead the Lions would not be able to recover from. The lions dropped the third set 25-13.
 
The Orerdiggers negated a 4-3 deficit and scored 10 of the next 11 points to grab a 14-5 lead. The big run was too much for the Lions to overcome as they drop the set and the match.
 
The Lions had a hitting percentage of .036 while Colorado School of Mines had a hitting percentage of .215. The Orediggers also outkilled A&M-Commerce 52 to 34. The Lions fall to 2-5 on the year.
 
Amy Davault lead the way with 12 kills, Courtney Tate added 29 assists, and Ashely Mireles had 29 digs for the Lions.
 
The Lions continue the A&M-Commerce Classic tomorrow their first match will be at 3 p.m. against Arkansas Fort Smith. Their second match will be the night cap at 7 p.m. when they take on the Patriots of Dallas Baptist.