STEPHENVILLE, Texas (Oct. 16) – The Pioneers dropped their first road game of the season as the fell at Tarleton State, 17-25, 25-16, 19-25, and 18-25.  TWU is now 15-4 on the season and 6-2 in the Lone Star Conference.
 
Freshman Makayla Mayfield led the team with 14 kills while senior Hillary Shaffer added 13 kills and a game-best .414 hitting percentage.  Shaffer recorded her 13 kills on 29 attempts and had just one error.  Senior Joey Redwine recorded 42 assists while junior Mallory Kuechle had a team-best 11 digs.
 
The Pioneers recorded 10 team blocks led by junior Sara Oxford and sophomore Briley Cole with five each.
 
In the first set the home team jumped out to a 10-5 lead and captured an eight-point win after hitting .429.  The Pioneers regrouped and started the second set with a 10-5 lead of their own.  TWU continued to build on its lead throughout the set before winning by nine points.
 
In the third both teams split the first 10 points before Tarleton State went on a 6-1 run to take a 11-6 lead.  The Pioneers answered with a 5-1 run to make it a one-point deficit but TSU used another big run to go on top 21-14.  Both teams traded points before the TexAnns won the set by six points.
 
In the fourth set TWU had the early 8-6 lead but Tarleton State went on top with a 5-2 run.  With the score tied at 12-12 the TexAnns used an 8-1 run to take a 20-13 lead.  Both teams split the next 10 points as TSU captured a seven-point win.
 
"We played much better today compared to the first time we played Tarleton State this season," said TWU head coach Shelly Barberee.  "We struggled in the first set but played really well in the next three sets.  The third and fourth sets didn't go our way because we couldn't finish our runs.  I am not upset with our performance but disappointed that we didn't finish our runs."
 
The Pioneers will now head to San Angelo, TX, to take on Angelo State on Saturday, Oct. 17.  First serve is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in Junell Center.