The Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team battled throughout Saturday's match against UTSA at the Convocation Center, but fell 3-1 via set scores of 25-19, 25-23, 18-25, and 25-11.
The Lions went 1-2 in their opening tournament of the season, while the Roadrunners went 3-0 in their home tournament, the UTSA Invitational.
. "UTSA is a really good team and coached extremely well, our team rose to the challenge in all aspects and they really followed the scouting report. We showed a lot of spirit and fight and competed to the very end. We couldn't be more proud of them. Definitely looking forward to going to battle with this team!
Two errors by the Lions gave the Roadrunners the first two points of the set, who did not trail in the first set. A&M-Commerce pulled to within one on two occasions, but UTSA took the set by winning four of the last six points, 25-19.
The Lions broke out early in the second set with a 4-2 lead, but UTSA capitalized on four straight errors by the Lions to lead 10-6. UTSA had a lead as big as seven in the second, but A&M-Commerce stayed within reach throughout the set.
UTSA took a 22-15 lead on an ace, but the Lions won seven of the next eight points to pull to 23-22. After the Roadrunners got to set point on a kill, A&M-Commerce got the serve right back on a service error and trailed 24-23. However, UTSA won the second set 25-23, as the Lions' serve was too strong and landed out of bounds.
Looking for another straight set win, UTSA jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the third, but A&M-Commerce put together an 8-1 run to take a two-point lead with
Reese Fetty (Farmersville) and
Avery Wilks (Mont Belvieu – Barbers Hill) serving up an ace each in the stretch.
Both teams went back-and-forth until it was tied at 14 with UTSA serving. A service error by the Roadrunners gave A&M-Commerce the point and they scored the next five to lead 20-15.
An assisted block by
Essence Allen (Longview – Tatum) and
Deja Benjamin (Pearland – Shadow Creek) gave the Lions a set point, leading 24-16. UTSA won the next two points, but Allen delivered a kill to win the set, 25-18.
UTSA won the first three points of the fourth set and did not look back, building a lead as big as 15, and took the match with a 25-11 win.
Kitana Tuufuli (Saint Hedwig – Steele) totaled team-best 11 kills in the match and had two blocks as well.
Reese Fetty (Farmersville) posted eight kills, eight digs, three blocks, and team-best four aces, which tied her career high. Wilks had seven kills, two aces, and five blocks.
Benjamin and
Breann Connally (Coolidge – Groesbeck) had three blocks each as well. Connally led the way with 20 assists, while
Peyton Plant (Littleton, Colo.) had 12.
Jade Smith (Houston – Mayde Creek) and
Millie Allgood (Sherwood, Ark.) tied with Fetty for team-best eight digs.
For the Roadrunners, Makenna Wiepert had 42 assists, while Aliah Giroux had 12 digs and Mia Soerensen had 12 kills.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Mia Soerensen, UTSA (MVP)
Makenna Wiepert, UTSA
Aliah Giroux, UTSA
Katelyn Krienke, UTSA
Teagan Polcovich, Missouri State
Azyah Green, Missouri State
Jade Smith, A&M-Commerce
Kennedy Reed, Texas Southern
UP NEXT
The Lions look to turn around quickly as they head to Abilene Christian on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
-TAMUC-
