BOONE, N.C. – The Furman Paladins took the final three sets on Saturday morning to hand the Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team a 3-1 loss at the Holmes Convocation Center.
 
The Lions took the first set by a score of 25-22, the Paladins recovered to take the second set, 25-19, and sunk the Lions with scores of 25-22 and 25-21 in the third and the fourth set, respectively.
 
Down 20-19 in the first set, the Lions won four straight points on two kills by Reese Fetty (Farmersville) and one Maddy Rashford (Placentia, Calif.) as well as an assisted block by Fetty and Carley Spachman (Leewood, Kan.). The Paladins won two of the next three, but the Lions won the set on an attacking error.
 
In the second set, the Lions opened up a 13-9 lead, but following a timeout, Furman won seven of the next eight to take a 16-14 lead. The Lions tied the set at 18 on a service ace by Lyric Hebert (Arvada, Colo.). Furman tied the match by going on a 7-1 run to take the second set.
 
A 5-0 run early in the third set put the Paladins ahead 7-4. The Lions tied it at eight, but once again, Furman responded with a 4-1 run. Down 18-16, A&M-Commerce took a 19-18 lead on an ace by Celeste Vela (Guadalajara, Mexico). Furman answered with a 4-1 run to remain ahead and closed out the third set on an attacking error by the Lions.
 
Looking to stay alive in the match, the Lions came out leading 5-1 in the fourth and did not trail for a majority of the set. The Paladins turned a 20-17 deficit into a 24-20 lead for four opportunities to win the match. The Lions staved off the first match point, but fell 25-21 in the fourth via a Furman kill.
 
Taryn Cast (Peaster) totaled 12 kills and seven blocks, while both Fetty and Rashford had 10 kills each. Vela recorded 40 assists and 11 digs, while Hebert had 15 digs. Spachman and Vela had three blocks as well.
 
For Furman, both Lauren Haynes and Ava Augustson had 18 kills each.
 
UP NEXT
The Lions are back in the Lone Star state next weekend, heading to Nacogdoches for the Stephen F. Austin Tournament. A&M-Commerce takes on the Lady Jacks on Friday at 11 a.m. and Arkansas State (11 a.m.) and Eastern Washington (3:30 p.m.) on Saturday before beginning Southland Conference play.