CORPUS CHRISTI – The Northwestern State Lady Demons picked up a straight set win in the first round of the Southland Conference Tournament on Wednesday afternoon, ending the Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team's 2023 season via set scores of 25-9, 25-20, and 25-20 at the Dugan Wellness Center.
 
The eighth seeded Lions end the season with a record of 9-23, their second in NCAA Division I and first under coach Joe Morales. A&M-Commerce made the postseason for the 12^th year in a row.
 
Northwestern State, the fifth seed in the SLC Tournament, advances to the quarterfinals on Friday, playing fourth seed Houston Christian.
 
The Lady Demons won the first five points of the match. Hitting .560 in the first set, Northwestern State cruised to a 25-9 win in the first set. The Lady Demons totaled four aces in the first set.
 
Northwestern State had the early lead in the second set, but the Lions rallied to pull to come within a point on an 8-2 run. Following an attacking error that brought the Lions within reach at 18-19, the Lady Demons won the next four and closed out the set, 25-20.
 
Despite the Lady Demons taking the first two points of the third set, the Lions stormed back to lead 5-4. Northwestern State went on a 3-0 run to re-take the lead and remained ahead the rest of the set.
 
The Lions won five of seven to come to within two, but Northwestern State won four in a row to lead 23-17. A&M-Commerce did fight off the first two match points, but a kill by Teresa Garza gave the win to the Lady Demons.
 
Northwestern State finished the match hitting .270, while the Lions hit 0.081. Essence Allen (Longview – Tatum) totaled 11 kills, while Peyton Roper (Converse – Judson) had six.
 
Yasmin Figueiredo (Rio de Janiero, Brazil) posted four blocks, Breann Connally (Coolidge – Groesbeck) recorded 22 assists, and both Millie Allgood (Sherwood, Ark.) and Jade Smith (Houston – Mayde Creek) recorded nine digs each.
 
For the Lady Demons, Garza picked up a double-double with 15 kills and 10 digs.