DENTON, Texas (Sept. 28, 2024) – Kitty Magee Arena was the place to be on Saturday afternoon for incredible volleyball.

TWU (7-4, 1-1) took No. 14 Angelo State (12-1, 2-0) to five sets and battled the entire way. After winning two straight sets, the Pioneers would fall in the final three sets to drop their first Lone Star Conference match of the season.

It marked the first time the Pioneers had taken Angelo State to five sets since 2018.

IMPACT PLAYERS

• Tori Woods led the Pioneers on offense with 16 kills. She was joined in double-digits by Erin Jones with 15, Malia Viernes with 13 and Cara Pool with 10.
• Woods also added a career high 26 digs. Viernes also finished with a career high number of digs, ending the match with 17.
• Woods matched her career high with three total blocks. Her 26 digs and 16 kills gave her her seventh double-double of the season.
• Kiana Reed finished the match with 12 assists and 15 digs to record her second double-double of the season.
• With her 15 kills and 17 digs, Viernes recorded her fourth double-double of the season.
• Grace Reynolds tallied 41 total assists and matched her career high in digs with 18. Today marked her ninth double-double of the season and fifth in a row.
• Cara Pool led the protection of the night with five block assists. Myracle Stockman finished with a season high three block assists.

KEY MOMENTS

• The Pioneers held the Rambelles to their second lowest hitting percentage of the season, .173 on the match.
• Each team had four aces. The Pioneers once again finished with double-digit blocks, as they out-blocked ASU 10-8.
• TWU jumped out to an early 7-3 to start set one, as a kill by Erin Jones ignited the run.
• The Pioneers continued their momentum push and were able to keep the Rambelles from scoring in the first set. A block by Kady Hansen set up a 5-0 run for TWU to lead by seven-point lead, 15-8.
• TWU would never trail in the first set. A kill by Viernes from Reynolds set up set point. Then, a kill by Hansen from Reynolds ended set one in favor of TWU, 25-21.
• In set two, ASU mounted a 9-3 lead after scoring five unanswered points which included three attack errors from the Pioneers.
• TWU remained connected and traded points with the Rambelles. They finally tied it up at 18 off an ace by Viernes. Then, TWU found the lead, 19-18, after a monster block by Hansen.
• Facing set point in favor of the Rambelles, 24-21, TWU ended the set on a 6-1 run to stun ASU and claim the early 2-0 match lead. The final two points of the set came off errors by the Rambelles to end the set, 27-25.
• TWU led early in set three, 12-8, but ASU quickly tied it back up. The Pioneers faced set point, 24-20, and tried to fight it off like in set two. A kill by Viernes ignited a 3-0 run for TWU, 24-23, but the Rambelles closed out the set, 25-23, to win set two.
• Aside from 1-0, ASU led for the entirety of set four, as TWU struggled to string together points. Back-to-back kills from Pool tied the set at 12, but ASU answered by going on a 5-1 run. ASU would win set four 25-21 to force a set five.
• Set five was all fireworks and excitement. The Rambelles made it to eight first, but after the side switch, TWU scored four straight to take the two-point lead, 10-8. The score would go back and forth until TWU set up match point after a kill by Woods and an attack error by the Rambelles, 14-13. Then, the Pioneers claimed the match point, but after an ASU challenge the call was reserved, which turned the score to tied at 14.
• The two teams traded point after the reversal. The score was tied eight times after 14-14. The Pioneers had six match point opportunities. After a kill by Woods tied it at 22, the Rambelles scored two unanswered to close the set, 24-22, and win the match 3-2.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH JESSICA RANSOM

"Although the outcome wasn't what we wanted, I am extremely proud of this team for going toe-to-toe with a solid program," Coach Ransom said. "We are moving in the right direction, and I'm excited for what's to come."

NEXT UP

TWU will go on the road for their next Lone Star Conference match against UT Tyler on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 6 p.m.