COMMERCE – The Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team snapped out of its two-match losing streak with a sweep of the Lamar Cardinals via set scores of 25-19, 25-20, and 27-25 at the Field House on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Lions took both meetings against the Cardinals this season and improve to 9-13 on the season and 5-4 in Southland Conference play. The Cardinals drop to 1-19 overall and 1-8 in SLC matches.
 
"In games past, we always have been playing catch up. Today was different," said coach Joe Morales. "We, as a coaching staff, did things differently throughout the day and even started the game different. From the first serve we played with a confidence as a team and kept control on the defensive side as well as the offensive side. Even in the third set, I was changing things up so we can accept change and fight through some things that we normally are not very good at."
 
A&M-Commerce led 11-3 to start the first set and led throughout the set, until a 5-0 run by Lamar pulled the Cardinals to within 18-14. Lamar got even closer at 21-19 on a 5-1 run, but the Lions closed out the set on a 4-0 run, winning it 25-19 on a kill by Reese Fetty (Farmersville).
 
The second set followed the same script as the first with the Lions leading 7-2. After the Cardinals pulled to within 14-12, the Lions went up 19-14 and closed out the set, 25-20, on a kill by Deja Benjamin (Pearland – Shadows Creek).
 
Despite A&M-Commerce leading 5-2 to start the third set, Lamar went on a 7-1 run to take a 9-6 lead. Both teams traded scoring runs as the Cardinals led 22-20, but the Lions won the next four to set up two match point opportunities.
 
Lamar won the next two to extend the set and fought off another match point chance by the Lions, until a kill by Breann Connally (Coolidge – Groesbeck) kill gave the Lions a 26-25 lead, and they won the match on an ace by Connally.
 
Morales added, "I was really pleased with the team's performance and their calmness. We followed the game plan and made the adjustments and most importantly, executed those adjustments."
 
Kitana Tuufuli (St. Hedwig – Steele) had team-best 11 kills for the Lions, while Millie Allgood (Sherwood, Ark.) served up two aces, Benjamin had eight blocks. Connally led the way with 27 assists and Jade Smith (Houston – Mayde Creek) recorded 27 digs. Fetty totaled eight kills and nine digs.
 
For the Cardinals, Lyric Jordan had 14 kills and Kaeden Robinson had 13 digs.
 
"Today was a total team win," concluded Morales. "We as a staff are so happy and excited with our growth. I also credit my assistant Morgan Williams, who has been working with our blockers and middles, they really showed up today. Go Lions!"
 
UP NEXT
The Lions head on the road to face Nicholls on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and close out the week, hosting Southeastern next Saturday at 11 a.m.