STEPHENVILLE– The No. 22 Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team defeated No. 12 Tarleton State 3-1 in the Lone Star Conference Tournament Championship match on Saturday. The Lions lost the first set but responded with three set wins in a row to win the conference title. The set scores were 23-25, 25-17, 25-22 and 29-27.
 
The win brings the Lions to 28-5 on the season. It is their first conference title since 1987 and the second LSC Tournament title in program history. The TexAnns fall to 29-4 on the year.
 
The Lions receive an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, the second season in a row the Lions have qualified for NCAA Regional action. They will receive their seeding at the annual NCAA Division II Volleyball selection show, which will take place at 9 p.m. on Sunday. A special celebration for the team will take place beginning at 8:30 p.m. inside The Club at the Rayburn Student Center, with the selection show being broadcast live at 9 p.m.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The Lions win their third LSC Tournament title, and their first since 1987. The Lions had not appeared in the LSC Championship match since the 1994 season.
- Jaryn Wacker (Austin – Vista Ridge) led the team with 16 kills in the match and also had 10 digs. She was named to the All-Tournament team.
- Celeste Vela (Guadalajara, Mexico) notched her eighth triple double of the season with 13 kills, 21 assists and 15 digs. She also had three aces. She was also named to the All-Tournament team.
- Jaslyn Wacker (Austin – Vista Ridge) had 12 kills, three blocks and three aces, including the game-winning ace.
- Shelley Chapron had 10 kills while hitting .400. She was named the Tournament MVP. Bina Njikam had nine kills, hitting .368.
- Rylie Fuentes led the team with 28 assists and added 13 digs. Savannah Rutledge added nine assists and led the team with 26 digs.
- Riley Davidson had 15 digs. Five Lions had double-digit dig numbers.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was an evenly matched slugfest of a first set as the teams traded the first 14 points of the match. The Lions then rattled off four points in a row to take an 11-7 lead. TSU then went on two mini runs to once again tie the set at 14. The teams traded 3-0 runs before TSU pushed its lead to 24-21. The Lions attempted to battle back but could not overcome the deficit, falling 25-23.
 
The teams traded runs early in the second set. The Lions scored four in a row, followed by three in a row for TSU. The match was tied at 10 early. The Lions then started to exert themselves, winning four points in a row to take a lead. TSU attempted a late comeback but the Lions would have nothing of it, scoring six of the final eight points of the set to win 25-17.
 
TSU took an early lead in the third set before the Lions battled back to tie the match at 6-all. With the Lions leading 11-10, the TexAnns then scored six of the next eight points to take a lead. The Lions stopped the momentum with a rally and once again tied the match. The Lions finished with a fury, scoring five of the final seven points to win the set 25-22.
 
The Lions jumped out to a big lead in the fourth set. With the score tied at three, A&M-Commerce then went on a 9-1 run to take a 12-4 lead. TSU battled back to tie the match at 16, including at one point taking six points in a row. It was a down to the wire finish as neither team wanted to lose the set. Beginning at 18-all, the teams were tied all the way until extra points. The Lions faced multiple break points but fought back and forced match point three times. The third one was a success as Jaslyn Wacker served an ace to score the 29th and final point of the set, winning the Lions the LSC Championship.
 
2018 LSC VOLLEYBALL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Shelley Chapron, Texas A&M-Commerce (MVP)
Jaryn Wacker, Texas A&M-Commerce
Celeste Vela, Texas A&M-Commerce
Adrianna Knutson, Tarleton State
Adriana Darthuy, Tarleton State
Hannah McManus, Tarleton State
Selena Batiste, West Texas A&M
Chandler Vogel, West Texas A&M
Madison Brabham, Texas A&M-Kingsville
Talleyshia Morris, Texas A&M-Kingsville
Audrey Fragniere, Angelo State
Aquincia Strambler, UT Permian Basin
Katy Ranes, Texas Woman's
Jasmine Gannon, Eastern New Mexico