SAN ANTONIO – In the final road match of the regular season, the East Texas A&M University Volleyball team fell 3-1 to UIW in the McDermott Center on Saturday afternoon via set scores of 25-21, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22.
 
The Lions fall to 9-17 overall and 6-8 in Southland Conference play with just two matches left in the regular season. East Texas A&M is currently tied for seventh in the SLC standings and needs a win to guarantee a spot in the eight-team SLC Tournament. UIW improved to 16-8 overall and 9-5 overall. The two teams split in the regular season.
 
During the match, Jade Smith (Houston – Mayde Creek) surpassed the 1,000-career dig mark as a Lion, having done so in less than two years.
 
The Lions led 6-3 to start the match, but the Cardinals flipped the led by winning six of the next seven and did not trail again in the set. Trailing 20-13, the Lions put together a 6-0 run to cut it to within one, but the Cardinals halted the scoring run and lost just two more points the rest of the set.
 
The Cardinals jumped to a 9-3 lead in the second set and despite the Lions cutting it to within three multiple times, the Cardinals ended the second set on a 4-1 run to push the Lions to the brink.
 
UIW had the early advantage in the third leading 7-2 and led it late, 19-13. A kill from Reese Fetty (Farmersville) sparked a 6-0 run for the Lions to tie the set at 19, with Avery Wilks (Mont Belvieu – Barbers Hill) serving up two aces in the run as well.
 
The Cardinals got the serve back momentarily, but the Lions answered by taking the next three points, including two kills by Kitana Tuufuli (St. Hedwig – Steele) and an ace by Ellie Baumert (Dodge, Neb.). UIW fought off two set points, but Gracie Campbell (Klein Oak) delivered a kill for the Lion set win.
 
UIW won four of the first five points of the fourth, though the Lions used a 3-0 run to take a 7-6 lead, but UIW served back a 5-0 run of its own, leading 11-7. East Texas A&M once again tied the set at 14, but the Cardinals won four of the next five and took the match on a kill by Tehylor Thomas.
 
Tuufuli led the way with 19 kills for the Lions, while Campbell totaled 11 and Wilks had 13.
 
Campbell, Tuufuli, and Baumert recorded double doubles for the Lions as Campbell had 12 digs to go along with her 11 kills, while Baumert picked up 47 assists and 13 digs as well as four blocks. Tuufuli recorded 10 digs.
 
Smith in her career-night, tallied 23 digs and Fetty had 13 digs and eight kills.
 
UP NEXT
The Lions welcome Southeastern, who leads the SLC, on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. for Camper Night. All kids wearing a jersey of their youth team will receive free admission.