COMMERCE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team hosted Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at the Field House on Saturday afternoon. In three sets, the Lions fell to the Islanders with set scores of 25-23, 25-20, and 25-16. The Islanders, winners of the last two Southland Conference tournament champions, move forward with a 4-1 conference record and 4-15 overall record, while the Lions now have a 2-3 record in conference and a 5-13 record overall.
 
The Islanders, with a 6-1 run, kicked off the first set, forcing an early Lion timeout. To reciprocate, the Lions chipped away with Yasmin Figuieredo (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) landing back-to-back blocks and a kill to tie the set at 7-7. With nine draws and four lead changes, neither team could pull away until a kill by Morgan Baese put the Islanders in position to secure the set win, 25-23.
 
Essence Allen (Longview- Tatum) started things off for the Lions with a kill as they took the first four points of the second set. The Islanders pushed back to tie the match twice before taking the lead. With their lead never being above five points, the Islanders took the second set, 25-20.
 
With a 4-0 run, the Islanders created some distance at the beginning of the third set before the Lions answered with a 4-1 run to tie the set 10-10. Responding with an 8-2 run, the Islanders took the lead and ensured the match win, 25-16.
 
Leading the team with four blocks and a .429 attacking percentage with seven kills was Taryn Cast (Peaster). Maddy Rashford (Placentia, Calif.) put down seven kills as well. Celeste Vela (Guadalajara, Mexico) recorded 27 assists for the Lions, while Lyric Hebert (Arvada, Colo.) bagged nine digs.
 

POST MATCH INTERVIEW

UP NEXT
The Lions are on the road for their next three matches. A&M-Commerce is next in action on Thursday at New Orleans at 6:30 p.m. and at Nicholls next Saturday at 11 a.m. On October 11, the Lions renew their rivalry against Tarleton in Stephenville.