LINCOLN, Nebraska – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi volleyball team saw tough non-conference competition on opening day of the 2022 season at the Ameritas Players Challenge. The team fell 3-0 to both No. 1 Nebraska and Pepperdine, who has been receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll, after playing in a packed house at Bob Devaney Sports Center Arena on Friday.
Game 1 – No. 1 Nebraska 3, A&M-Corpus Christi 0
The Islanders (0-2) faced tournament host Nebraska (2-0) in each team's first game of the season. The Huskers led the whole way to a 25-15, 25-16 and 25-9 win.
Set one opened with service errors on both sides to take the score to a quick 1-1. When Nebraska went up 6-2, junior
Ella Litterell got the Islanders their first earned point of the game with a kill off the block, assisted by senior
Faith Panhans. A 6-0 run by the Huskers allowed them to pull ahead with a 20-8 lead and despite the Islanders fighting for seven more points in the game, set one ended in favor of Nebraska 25-15.
Set two was the closest of the game with five different Islanders getting a kill, including back-to-back kills by sophomore
Kyndal Payne to help A&M-Corpus Christi cut Nebraska's lead to 19-14. The Huskers responded with five consecutive points, however, to help them take the second set 25-16.
The Huskers held control in the third set, winning 25-9 to take the match 3-0.
As a team, A&M-Corpus Christi registered 20 kills, 30 digs, two blocks and two aces. Payne led the offense with seven kills while Panhans and junior
McKenna Reiswig each tallied three. Panhans also garnered nine assists while senior
Carissa Barnes picked up 11 digs.
"Nebraska played very consistently throughout our match and really challenged us with their blocking," said head coach
Steve Greene. "Carissa did a great job playing defense and with her serve receive."
Game 2 – Pepperdine 3, A&M-Corpus Christi 0
The Islanders were edged out in straight sets to Pepperdine (2-0) in a hard-fought second match of the day.
Set one featured seven lead changes as the game remained toe-to-toe through a 13-13 tie until Pepperdine broke ahead with five consecutive points to go up 18-13. Multiple kills by Litterell and freshman
Tayah Little helped the Islanders gain momentum and cut Pepperdine's lead to 22-19 before the Waves were able to close out the 25-20 win.
In similar fashion, set two had the Islanders and the Waves exchanging points through a 10-10 tie until Pepperdine went on two seven-point runs to take the second set 25-13.
Set three came down to the wire with the greatest lead being only by five points. Graduate student
Aurora Carnes tallied four kills in set three to aid in the Islanders' efforts, as the team was able to cut Pepperdine's lead to only one point at the 23-22 mark. Two kills gave Pepperdine the final two points for the 25-22 edge and match win.
Despite the loss, the Islanders matched the Waves in kills at 36 and had 45 digs compared to Pepperdine's 39. Payne and Little both got eight kills with Little blocking the Waves seven times. Barnes led the team defensively again with 13 digs, the most on either side of the net, while Heard picked up 10.
"We got off to a solid start against Pepperdine," said Greene. "The team started to feel confident and we were playing well until we had some issues with serve receive in the middle of the first set.
Kayla White and
Zoria Heard played really well in serve receive and on defense against the Waves.
Tayah Little provided a great spark offensively and blocking.
"We had our ups and downs today, but we are looking forward to continuing to improve in things as we go into our match against another well coached team tomorrow."
The Islanders will conclude the Ameritas Players Challenge Saturday against Tulsa at 1:30 p.m. CT.
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