Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 COMMERCE,TEXAS - The A&M-Commerce volleyball team dropped a pair of matches with a 3-1 loss to Arkansas Fort Smith and a 3-2 heartbreaking loss to Dallas Baptist University on Saturday. Courtney Tate had a brilliant performance registering a triple-double in the loss to Dallas Baptist.
 
Game 1
 
Arkansas Fort Smith jumped on top early in set one taking an 8-0 lead to start the match. It was a lead AFSU would never give up winning set one 25-14. The Lions were out hit -.051 compared to .333 for Arkansas Fort Smith.
 
The second set started off with back and forth action, but a kill by Amy Davault sparked a run where the Lions would score six of the next seven points, and it gave the Lions a lead of 17-13. A lead A&M-Commerce would hold onto taking set two 25-23. Davault had eight kills and a hitting percentage of .400 in the second set.
 
Arkansas Fort Smith took a 15-6 lead to start the third set. It was a lead that the Lions would not be able to come back from dropping the set 25-13.
 
The fourth set saw eight ties and five lead changes early in the set.  Arkansas Fort Smith's Jessica Anderson had a big kill giving AFSU a 21-19 lead en route to a 25-20 win.
 
Davault registered a double-double with 16 kills and 18 digs. Tate added a team high 30 assists, and Delanee Clark contributed with 5 block assists. Amanda Mireles had a team high 31 digs.
 
Game 2
 
The first set was a nail-biter as it saw 11 ties and 7 lead changes. The Lions had back-to-back kills by Delanee Clark and Veronika Baric giving A&M-Commerce a 21-20 lead. However the Patriots were able to spark a run of their own following a kill by Kaycie Bird, and Dallas Baptist took the first set 25-23.
 
Neka Nelson provided a big spark off the bench for the Lions in the second set. With the set tied at seven Nelson had back-to-back kills to give A&M-Commerce a 9-7 lead en route to a 25-16 set win.
 
In the third set A&M-Commerce and the Patriots went back and forth neither team had a lead more than two points throughout the set. With the match tied at 23 Baric provided the biggest kill of the set to give the Lions a 24-23 lead. The Lions would go on and win the set 25-23.
 
The fourth set was played evenly the entire set. A&M-Commerce and Dallas Baptist trading points. With the set tied 25-25 Dallas Baptist's Krystal Wunderlinch gave the Patriots a 26-25 lead with a huge kill. Dallas Baptist would go on to take the fourth set 27-25.
 
The Lion's fell behind 8-1 in the rubber match of the series. Baric was able to spark another run for the Lions with 3 big kills which helped narrow the gap to 10-9. However, the Patriots scored five points to end the set, and win the match.
 
Freshman Courtney Tate had a huge night recording a triple-double. Tate had a team high 63 assists to go along with 13 digs, and 10 kills.
 
Amy Davault registered her second consecutive double-double. Davault had a game high 26 kills, and 24 digs.
 
Four other Lions had double digit kills Baric had a season high 20 kills, Tate, Delanee Clark and Nelson all added 10 kills. Amanda Mireles led the team with 33 digs.
 
The Lions next match is Wednesday, September 17 when A&M-Commerce travels to Arkadelphia, Arkansas to take on Ouachita Baptist University at 5 p.m.