CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Opening the 2023 conference slate with a sweep, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi topped Lamar 3-0 Thursday night in the Dugan Wellness Center.
The Islanders (6-7, 1-0 SLC) picked up the pace after getting to a slow start that featured close first and second sets to secure the 3-0 victory over Lamar (0-12, 0-1 SLC) with a 25-17 final set. A&M-Corpus Christi extended their win streak to 17 consecutive matches over the Cardinals, dating back to 2011.
The win was fueled by strong offensive showings by sophomore
Tori Arrington and junior
Leah Stolfus, who tied for team-lead in kills at 12. Sophomore
Rylee Achtzehn contributed eight kills to the team's 45 while junior
Kyndal Payne also got in on the action with seven for the spread-out offense.
Running the offense was graduate
Belle Morgan, dishing out 38 of the team's 42 assists.
Also a force was sophomore
Zoria Heard at libero, picking up a match-high 21 digs. It was her second-ever 20+ dig performance, two shy of her career-high set last weekend against Texas Tech. Junior
Kayla White covered the floor for 16 digs herself.
It marks the third year in a row that the Islanders won their conference opener.
Lamar jumped out quick in the first set to go up 4-2 before the Islanders utilized a 4-0 scoring run to lead 9-6. Stolfus kept A&M-Corpus Christi up by three at 16-13 before the Cardinals responded with four consecutive points to get back ahead and lead late 21-19. Payne and sophomore
Tayah Little both garnered a kill and assisted each other for the block to reverse to regain the advantage. Lamar would stay within one to 24-23, but the kill by Arrington gave the Islanders the 1-0 lead in the match.
The Islanders fired seven straight points early in the second to gain a 9-1 lead featuring two service aces by Heard. The kill by Stolfus kept A&M-Corpus Christi at a comfortable lead 21-14 before Lamar began chipping away and fighting back to trail only 23-20. The final points from Stolfus and junior
Morgan Baese kept the Cardinals at bay as the Islanders took set two 25-22.
Despite Lamar earning the first point of the third to end up holding a 5-4 edge, A&M-Corpus Christi reversed the lead for the final time in the match after the double block by Achtzehn and Stolfus put them up 8-5. The ace by sophomore
Kendall Mahaney extended the lead to 17-11 before Arrington's attack put the Islanders up by double digits at 22-12. Lamar fought for five more points, but kills by freshman
Alexis Massey and Payne ended the match for A&M-Corpus Christi's victory in the conference opener.
Next up, the Islanders will face the defending SLC Tournament Champions of Southeastern on Saturday back in the Dugan Wellness Center. The match is set with a 12 p.m. first serve and will be available to watch live on ESPN+.
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