HOUSTON, Texas - Two extra-point sets just wouldn't go Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's way as the volleyball team fell in a 3-1 decision to HCU on Saturday at Sharp Gym.
The Islanders (11-19, 11-5) dropped to second place in the Southland standings after falling to the Huskies (20-9, 12-4) 21-25, 25-21, 29-31, and 26-28. Sets three and four were battles through the end as each team had to fight off multiple set points, but both sets ultimately went in favor of HCU for the 3-1 take.
Despite the loss, A&M-Corpus Christi outhit HCU .231 to .186 as the Islander attack was led by sophomore
Leah Stolfus. Stolfus, for the second game in a row, earned her career-high of 23 kills. Sophomore
Kyndal Payne turned in 18 kills along with 12 digs to record her 13th double-double of the season while the trio of senior
Faith Panhans, junior
Ella Litterell and freshman
Brooke Copley got six kills each.
Defensively, Copley and Payne matched each other with three blocks at the net. In the back row, senior
Carissa Barnes continued her streak of being the digs-leader in every conference match this season, picking up 27 against the Huskies. Freshman
Zoria Heard tallied 11 digs for the second match in a row.
This was the third match of the week for the Islanders after beating both UIW and first-place McNeese on Tuesday and Thursday.
"This was a tough week with very good competition in all three matches," said head coach
Steve Greene. "We competed well at times today but missed some opportunities on routine plays. Leah was outstanding in the middle and very difficult to stop. I'm really proud of the load she took on and how she performed.
"Brooke stepped in and did really well. It was really nice to see her competing at a high level today. Zoria also did an outstanding job on defense and really made a nice impact for us," said Greene.
A quick kill by Panhans got the match started and helped the Islanders to a 2-0 lead in the first set. The teams exchanged points before a 5-0 run by HCU pulled the Huskies ahead 10-6 for a lead never surrendered. A&M-Corpus Christi got with two at the 17-15 mark after a 4-point spurt, but HCU eased the threat to go up 23-17. The Islanders fought off set point to get to the 24-21 mark, but HCU closed out the 25-21 win to go up 1-0 in the match.
Set two also got started with a lot of back-and-forth before the Islanders managed to pull ahead 10-8 off the ace by Panhans. A kill by Panhans completed a 4-0 run by the Islanders who went up 17-11. The Huskies would tie the set at 18-all, but a trio of kills by Stolfus took the score to 22-20 and the 25-21 final went in favor of A&M-Corpus Christi this time to even the match 1-1.
In set three, HCU jumped out and stayed ahead through a 18-16 score before a 6-1 run fueled by four Stolfus kills reversed the lead for a 22-19 Islander advantage. A tie came at the 23-all to begin an onset of back-and-forth far into extra points. Each team had to fight off several set points and in the end, HCU got the 31-29 edge to go up 2-1.
Set four had HCU leading 11-9 and again at 22-17, but the Islanders responded with a six-point spurt that featured three service aces by Panhans for the 23-22 lead change. The Islanders fought off match point and even went up 25-24 off the attack by Stolfus, but HCU earned the final three points to take the second extra-point battle 27-25 and the match win.
The teams split the season record 1-1 after A&M-Corpus Christi previously swept HCU earlier in the season. The Islanders now lead the all-time record 15-7 over the Huskies.
With only one week left of the conference-slate, the Islanders will play its final two matches on the road, facing Lamar on Thursday before closing out the regular season at Nicholls on Saturday.
The Southland Conference Tournament is set to begin on Nov. 17 with the championship match scheduled for Nov. 20. The tournament will be hosted by Southeastern in Hammond, Louisiana.
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