FORT WORTH – Coming back from being down 2-0 to force a deciding fifth set, the Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team was downed by Prairie View A&M via set scores of 26-24, 25-22, 15-25, 23-25, and 15-8, on Friday at Schollmaier arena to close out the Fight In the Fort.
 
"The team played well, it was definitely a fight until the fourth set against a well-coached PVAMU," said coach Joe Morales. "We had many opportunities and couldn't find a way to win.
 
"Gracie (Campbell) came in and gave us a spark with her swing and our passing was good. We have to find way to score within our offense and we struggle with that. Our defense is keeping us in a lot of games; but we need to iron out the offense this coming week. We are getting to where we need to be, we have to be patient in games like these and next week to be to be ready for conference."
 
The Panthers won the first two points of the match, but the Lions had a lead as big as two in the first 10 points as well. The Lions recorded a lead of 20-19 and tied the set once again at 24, but fell in the first set.
 
The second set started with the Panthers leading by as much as four in the first 10 points. Despite the Lions tying the set at 12 and then taking a 20-19 lead, the Panthers dropped just two points the rest of the set to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
The Lions responded in the third by leading 7-3 to start the set and went on a 6-2 run to lead 18-11, going on to take the set after winning five points in a row to close it out. In the fourth, the Panthers led 11-7, but the Lions tied the set at 14 and then went on 6-0 run to lead 22-17.
 
The Panthers made things interesting by coming to within to tie the set, but a kill by Gracie Campbell (Spring – Klein Oak) gave the set win to the Lions and force a deciding set for the second match this season.
 
The fifth set titled in the favor of the Panthers, who used a 6-0 run to go up 8-2. PVAMU closed out the match by winning four of the last five points of the match.
 
Reese Fetty (Farmersville) totaled 12 kills in the match, recording a double-double with 20 digs, followed by 11 from Kitana Tuufuli (St. Hedwig – Steele) and Carley Spachman (Leewood, Kan.) recording 10.
 
Spachman had five blocks in the match as well, while Fetty recoded four and Ellie Baumert (Dodge, Neb.), who led the team with 37 assists, had three blocks. Jade Smith (Houston – Mayde Creek) picked up 21 digs in the match.
 
The Lions have lost six in a row to fall to 2-7 on the season.
 
UP NEXT
Non-conference play closes out next week at the Cougar Challenge next Thursday-Saturday.