COMMERCE – A thriller in the Field House on Tuesday night helped the Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team snap Northwestern State's seven-match winning streak in five sets via scores of 25-18, 26-24, 21-25, 14-25, and 17-15.
Tuesday night was the first home win for the Lions this season and the first since October 15, 2022, when the Lions beat the Lady Demons in four sets.
Coming into the match, the Lions had not lost a five-set match this season, while the Lady Demons were on a seven-match winning streak. One of those streaks was bound to end in the fifth set.
Northwestern State went on a 3-0 run to take a 6-3 lead, the Lions came to within one at 8-7 on a 3-0 scoring run. The Lady Demons did not let the set get tied, and led 12-9, before A&M-Commerce pulled to 13-12.
The Lady Demons won the next point on a kill for their first of two match points, which the Lions fought off due to a ball handling error and
Reese Fetty (Farmersville) delivered a kill to tie the set at 14.
A service ace by
Millie Allgood (Sherwood, Ark.) gave the Lions their first match point, but the Lady Demons tied it once again on a kill.
Avery Wilks (Mont Belvieu – Barber Hills) delivered back-to-back kills to give the Lions their first win at home.
MATCH-WINNING POINT HIGHLIGHT
A&M-Commerce has won two in a row to improve to 6-10 overall and 2-1 in Southland Conference play. The Lady Demons fall to 7-8 overall, snapping their seven-match winning streak and 3-1 in SLC matches.
Tuesday night was the fourth five-set match for the Lions this season and they are 4-0 in those matches. The four five-set wins are the most since 2018. The Lions have now snapped two winning streaks of six or matches this season, having also beaten Alabama, who was 6-0 at the time.
The Lions took seven of the first eight points in the first set to jump out to the early lead in the first set. The Lions led by as much as 10 in the first set, capitalizing on 12 errors by the Lady Demons, who rallied to come to within four, but the Lions took the next four points for eight set points.
Northwestern State took the next two points, but the Lions, on a kill by
Deja Benjamin (Pearland – Shadows Creek), took the first set with a score of 25-18.
The second set started with the Lions leading 11-6, but the Lady Demons marched back and took a 19-17 lead on a 5-0 run. Northwestern State had five set points, leading 24-19, but the Lions took the next seven points to not only tie the set, but take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Northwestern State led throughout the third set and extended the match with a 25-21 win. The set was tied at 17, but the Lady Demons took the next three for a cushion and closed out the set on a Lion attacking error.
The Lady Demons started the fourth set by taking the first five points of the fourth set. The Lions pulled to within three, but lost the set, 25-14.
Fetty neared a double-double, recording 23 digs and eight kills.
Kitana Tuufuli (St. Hedwig – Steele) had 19 kills and eight digs, while
Essence Allen (Longview – Tatum) had 12 kills to go along with four blocks, and
Peyton Roper (Converse – Judson) had 11 kills and four blocks.
Benjamin recorded seven kills and six blocks, while
Jade Smith (Houston – Mayde Creek) had 27 digs and
Taylor Borden (Gregory-Portland) had nine.
Breann Connally (Coolidge – Groesbeck) led the team with 37 assists and
Peyton Plant (Littleton, Colo.) had 17.
Both setters for the Lady Demons had double-doubles. Piper Boydstun had 26 assists and 12 digs, while Amina Attra had 13 digs and 19 assists.
POST MATCH INTERVIEW
UP NEXT
The Lions travel to New Orleans on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and close out the road trip at Southeastern on Saturday at 11 a.m.
-TAMUC-
