LAKE CHARLES, La. – Coming back from being down two sets and then facing a match point in the fifth set, the East Texas A&M University volleyball team closed out Saturday afternoon's match at the Townsley Law Arena on a 3-0 run to win in five sets over the McNeese Cowgirls via set scores of 18-25, 19-25, 25-22, 25-19, and 17-15.
 
The Lions have won three of their last four, including both matches this week, to improve to 6-13 overall and 4-4 in Southland Conference play, while McNeese falls to 6-14 overall as well and is 2-6 in SLC action. Saturday was the first win in Lake Charles for the Lions, who have won two straight over the Cowgirls, after losing the previous five.
 
In the fifth set, the Lions had an 8-5 lead, but then McNeese came within 8-7. A 3-0 run followed for the Lions to go up 11-7 and remained in front 13-10, but McNeese won the next two, though the Lions did get their first match point at 14-12.
 
After saving the first match point, the Cowgirls went on a 3-0 run to have their first match point of the game. A kill by the Lions and an attacking error allowed another match point opportunity for the Lions, who finished the comeback on an attacking error.
 
The reverse-sweep for the Lions is the first for the program since East Texas A&M downed No. 1 Tampa in five sets on September 13, 2019, in Denver, Colorado. Three of the six wins this season have come in five sets for the Lions. Dating back to 2023 under third-year coach Joe Morales, East Texas A&M is now 10-3 in five-set matches.
 
McNeese started the afternoon by winning the first eight points and had a lead as big as nine in the first set, but the Lions fought back on a 6-0 run to make it 20-17. The Cowgirls lost just one point the rest of the set, winning it on a kill by Carli Banks.
 
Despite a 3-1 lead to begin the second set, the Lions fell behind 5-3 as the Cowgirls built a lead as big as seven in the set and did not trail again, winning the last three points of the set and taking the set on an attacking error by Giana Brown.
 
In the third set, McNeese won the first five and led 7-1, but a rally by the Lions helped them tie the set at 8-8, and then take an 11-9 lead. Both teams exchanged scoring runs with the set tied at 20, but then three of the next four went to East Texas A&M, who opened a set point opportunity on a kill by Gracie Campbell (Klein Oak) and a block by Nevaeh Smith (San Antonio – O'Connor) and MJ Klaumann (Emerald Isle, N.C.) extended the match.
 
McNeese once again started off the set strong in the fourth, leading it 4-0. Trailing 16-13, the Lions went on a 7-0 scoring run to jump ahead 20-16 and won the final three points of the set once again, forcing a fifth set on an attacking error by the Cowgirls.
 
Campbell led the way with 18 kills and 15 digs for her third double-double in four matches, while Smith added 13 kills as well and totaled seven blocks, while Klaumann adding four.
 
Haley Mullaney (Victory Christian Academy) also recorded a double-double with 26 assists and 10 digs, while Savannah Jennings (Rosehill Christian) added 11 assists and Jade Washington (Waco – Midway) had team-best 34 digs.
 
UP NEXT
The Lions host a pair of matches on Hunt Regional Healthcare Court at the Field House next week, welcoming SFA on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and Lamar next Saturday at 1 p.m.