CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Just a few points decided the outcome between the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi volleyball program and UTRGV, but the Vaqueros were able to escape with a 3-2 (20-25, 25-22, 20-25, 25-18, 16-14) decision on Monday at the Dugan Wellness Center.
The match was part of the South Texas Showdown, presented by NavyArmy Community Credit Union. The Islanders (12-9, 8-1 SLC) won the attendance point over the Vaqueros (14-7, 5-2 WAC) 795-688 to pickup one point. As an institution, A&M-Corpus Christi is ahead in this year's standings 13-6.
A&M-Corpus Christi had a match point leading 14-13 in the fifth set, but UTRGV was able to win the last three with a pair of kills and a block.
"It was a very close match back-and-forth and I loved the atmosphere and strong crowd," said head coach
Steve Greene. "
Kyndal Payne played an outstanding match and I really loved her strong mental game and willingness to take big, aggressive swings. I love to hear
Angel Felan,
Kylie Filipiak, and
Carissa Barnes talking to the team and leading us. I couldn't be happier to know that even though we lost a close match that we will learn from it and improve."
Payne registered a team-high 17 kills and a .438 hitting percentage. She was one kill shy of her career-high. Payne has registered double-figures in kills in eight of the last nine matches.
Tallying 14 kills apiece were seniors
Montez Uigaese and
Rachel Young. Junior
Faith Panhans notched her second straight double-double with 50 assists and 14 digs.
Junior
Carissa Barnes, who leads the nation in digs per set, dug up a match-high 30 balls. Freshman
Kayla White also made an impact defensively with 10 digs.
The Vaqueros were led by Sarah Cruz's 22 kills and 11 digs. Ioanna Charitonidi ended with a double-double with 13 kills and 12 digs, and Luanna Emiliano finished with 49 assists and 12 digs.
A&M-Corpus Christi trailed 17-12 in the first set before making a comeback. A kill by
Rachel Young sparked a huge 12-1 run. An ace by white evened it 18-18, and another spike by Young made it 24-18. Payne finished the set off with a kill.
The second was even 17-17 until the Vaqueros won three straight to go up 20-17. The Islanders cut the deficit to 23-22 after an error by UTRGV, but the Vaqueros held on by winning the last two points of the frame.
The Islanders took control early in the third and never relinquished their lead. They darted ahead 8-2 after a kill by senior
Julia Carter and extended it to 20-13 on a solo block by Young. A kill by Uigaese clinched the set.
The fourth was tied 9-9 when the Vaqueros went on a 4-0 spurt to go up 13-9. A kill by Uigaese trimmed the deficit to 16-15, but UTRGV reeled off five of the next six to go back up 21-17 and won it 25-18.
A nail-biting fifth set saw UTRGV grab an 8-5 advantage at the media timeout. The Islanders fought back and tied it 9-9 on a kill by Young, and A&M-Corpus Christi went up 12-11 on a kill by Payne. An attack error gave the Islanders match point at 14-13, but kills by Perris Keys and Veronika Jandova on consecutive points swung it in UTRGV's favor and the match ended on a block by Jandova.
The Islanders and the Vaqueros split the season series after the Islanders won 3-1 in Edinburg. A&M-Corpus Christi is now 27-21 all-time against UTRGV.
The first-place Islanders will return to Southland Conference play Thursday when they host Nicholls at 6:30 p.m. in the Dugan Wellness Center.
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