COMMERCE – The Texas A&M University Corpus Christi Islanders took a four-set win over the East Texas A&M University volleyball team Thursday evening on the Hunt Regional Healthcare Court in the Field House.
The Lions totaled 58 kills, hit .261 and held a 9-5 blocking edge, with their nine blocks exceeding their season average of 8.12, but A&M-Corpus Christi took the fourth set 27-25 to close the match.
The Lions opened the first set with kills from
Sediong Scott (Houston – Elsik) and
Ariana Brown (Conroe) around a Scott-
Gracie Campbell (Klein Oak) block to go in front 3-1, but the Islanders answered to pull even at 3-3 and later moved ahead 8-5.
Sabine Wenzel (Melrose, Mass.) and Brown helped the Lions tie it at 8-8, with Brown putting down consecutive kills, before A&M-Corpus Christi scored the next seven points for a 15-8 lead.
Jade Washington (Waco – Midway) served an ace to make it 15-10, but the Islanders pushed the lead to 23-16, reached set point at 24-17 and, after Brown added two late kills, took the set 25-19 on a service error.
After A&M-Corpus Christi's 5-3 start, the Lions answered with kills from Brown,
Haley Mullaney (Decatur) and Scott to move ahead 7-5, but the visitors came back to go in front 11-10. The Lions then scored five of the next six points, using Islander attack errors, a
Samantha Mosley (Atlanta) kill and a
Katelyn Pritchard (McAllen) ace to take a 15-12 lead.
After the Islanders got within 15-13, the Lions pushed the margin to 18-13 on a Campbell kill, a Mullaney kill and another visitor attack error, then stayed in front through an exchange that left it at 21-16. Brown served out the final four points, with Campbell recording a block and a kill before Mosley put away the last two points for a 25-16 set win.
The Lions moved ahead 3-1 in the third set on kills by Mosley and Mullaney, but A&M-Corpus Christi came back to lead 5-3 and later used a six-point run to turn an 8-7 edge into a 14-7 advantage. The Lions answered with seven straight points to tie the set at 14-14, a stretch that included a Mullaney service ace, kills by Scott, Brown and Mosley, and two Islander attack errors.
Brown and Mosley kills tied the set at 15-15 and 16-16, and
Allie Ihloff (Tulsa, Okla.) put the Lions in front 17-16 before adding another kill for an 18-18 tie. The Islanders responded with three straight points to go up 21-18 and stayed ahead, with Ihloff's kill pulling the Lions within 22-20 before A&M-Corpus Christi closed the set 25-21 on a Kenna Buchanan kill.
After the Islanders moved ahead 5-3 early, the Lions used blocks from Mosley and Scott, then Scott and Campbell, before kills by Campbell and Mosley helped build a 10-6 lead. A&M-Corpus Christi answered from a 12-8 deficit with four straight points to tie it at 12-12 and later went in front 18-15.
The Lions responded with five straight points, the last four on Brown's serve, getting kills from Campbell, Mosley and Scott plus a Mosley-Scott block to move ahead 20-18, but A&M-Corpus Christi came back to lead 23-21. The Lions pulled even at 24-24 on an Ihloff kill and a Campbell ace and again at 25-25 on another Ihloff kill, but the Islanders took the final two points for a 27-25 set.
Brown led the Lions with 17 kills and 17.5 points. Brown's 17 kills were a season high. Mosley added 13 kills, hit .429 and totaled 15 points. Mosley's 13 kills surpassed her season average of 7.47. Campbell has recorded 10 or more kills in five consecutive matches. Mullaney finished with a season-high 13 digs.
Washington collected 24 digs and added six assists. Washington's 24 digs exceeded her season average of 18.82. Scott recorded six total blocks and five kills while hitting .286. Scott has recorded at least six total blocks in two consecutive matches.
The Lions are 8-10 overall and 2-3 in Southland play, having lost nine of their last 12. A&M-Corpus Christi is 6-10 overall and 4-1 in Southland play.
UP NEXT
The Lions host UTRGV on Saturday at 1 p.m. for Youth Day. There will be a post-match free clinic for all kids 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased at
LIonAthletics.com/tickets.
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