CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – No. 4-seeded Texas A&M-Corpus Christi triumphed in a dramatic 3-2 five-setter against No. 2 Sam Houston to hoist the Southland championship trophy for the third time in program history Saturday afternoon inside Dugan Wellness Center.
"I couldn't be more proud of our team and am so happy that they get to enjoy this special time after all their hard work," said head coach
Steve Greene. "The confidence and poise everyone showed today and throughout this season is a testament to how much they truly care about one another and our program."
The Islanders improved to 3-0 program record in championship matches, and it was the the first time since 2005 that a No. 4 seed has claimed the Southland crown.
Touting a well-balanced offense that ranks sixth nationally in kills per set, the Islanders flashed their attack expertise with four student-athletes -
Hannah Froeschl (17),
Rachel Young (16),
Chloe Simon (12) and
Montez Uigaese (14) - finishing in the double-figure kill column and contributing to a season-high 77 kills for the Islanders.
Tournament MVP Simon notched her second double double of the tournament with 12 kills and 12 digs while Froeschl paced the offensive charge and also combined with Uigaese to account for eight of the team's 11 blocks.
Not to be outdone, Southland Libero of the Year
Carissa Barnes recorded 36 digs while Setter of Year
Faith Panhans toed the triple-double line with a career-high 62 assists, eight kills and nine digs.
A back-and-forth opening period set the tone for the afternoon, as both squads evened the match 10 times before a Bearkat service error sparked a 3-0 run that ended on a Simon kill to hand the home club the lead for good. The Islanders claimed seven of the next 11 points to seize the match lead on a 25-19 set win.
In a marathon second that produced a whopping 70 points between the two clubs, a kill from Southland Player of the Year Ashley Lewis sent the set to extras where nine ties were leveled before SHSU strung together two to take the monster 36-34 nail-biter.
A&M-Corpus Christi battled back from a 5-0 deficit, eventually overtaking the lead on a late 5-0 surge highlighted by three Froeschll kills for the 21-20 edge. The Islanders used their offensive power down the stretch, with kills accounting for the final four points as the home club slipped past the Bearkats for the 25-23 win and match lead.
After Sam Houston ran away with the fourth to force a deciding set, the Islanders bounced back with a 5-0 run that turned a 1-3 deficit into a 6-3 home lead. The Bearkats countered with their own 4-0 spurt to tie in nine-all, but the Islanders provided the knockout punch with a big 4-0 streak to make it 13-9 and allow kills from
Julia Carter and Young to cement the tournament champion title.
Young, Froeschl and Simon all earned Southland All-Tournament team nods while Simon was tabbed Tournament MVP.
The Islanders will learn their NCAA Tournament opponent during Sunday's 3 p.m. (CT) NCAA selection show.
Southland Volleyball All-Tournament Team
| Name |
Pos. |
Cl. |
School |
| Chloe Simon (MVP) |
OH |
Sr. |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
| Hannah Froeschl |
MB |
Sr. |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
| Rachel Young |
MB |
Jr. |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
| Ashley Lewis |
OH/RS |
Sr. |
Sam Houston |
| Morgan Janda |
S |
So. |
Sam Houston |
| Charlie Tidwell |
OH |
Fr. |
Central Arkansas |
| Kennedy Wright |
OH |
So. |
Stephen F. Austin |
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