DENTON, Texas (Oct. 21, 2016) –
Sara Oxford and
Briley Cole each registered 11 kills for Texas Woman's University, but the Pioneers fell in straight sets (15-25, 21-25, 23-25) to 10
th-ranked Angelo State Friday night inside Kitty Magee Arena.
TWU's team total of 39 kills was one more than ASU (19-2, 10-1 LSC), but the Pioneers (7-14, 3-9 LSC) struggled with nine service errors. The Belles tallied seven blocks compared to two from TWU, and each team totaled 61 digs.
Makayla Mayfield recorded the first point of the night on a kill, and a block by Oxford and
Mary Kate Hyde kept the Pioneers close at 5-4. Four straight points by ASU extended the lead to 9-4, but a long serve handed TWU a point. A 9-6 run by the Belles made it an 18-10 game before Oxford delivered a kill. Five straight points by the Belles put the Pioneers at a 23-11 deficit that was too much to overcome.
Cole gave TWU a 1-0 lead in set two and a block by
Jade Akins and Oxford put the Pioneers up 2-1. Oxford sent over a kill and a service ace to knot the game at 14-all, but three straight ASU points changed the lead. A long rally with several saves constituted a kill by
Kerstin Jenkins to cut the lead to 17-15. Noel knotted the set at 17-17 on a kill down the middle, and Oxford produced another for an 18-18 tie. A 4-0 run put the Belles up 22-18 before the Pioneers closed to within 22-20 on an ASU attack error, but the visitors were able to secure three more points to take a 2-0 match lead.
Back-to-back kills by Oxford in set three put TWU up at 6-5. Another Oxford kill and ASU attack error extended the lead to 9-6, and a kill by Cole maintained a lead of three points at 13-10. A kill by Jenkins and attack error by the Belles pushed the margin to 19-15. With the Pioneers leading 20-16, the Belles managed to string together five straight points to take the lead at 21-20. Jenkins tied the set on a kill, but an ASU block and kill retook the advantage at 23-21. The Belles made it to match point on a kill, but a ball handling error on the Belles kept TWU alive until ASU delivered the final point on a kill.
The Pioneers return to Kitty Magee Arena tomorrow at 2 p.m. for a matchup with Tarleton State.