TUCSON, Ariz. – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi volleyball team jumped out to an early two-set lead but couldn't close out Fresno State, falling 3-2 in its season opener Friday in the Wildcat Classic.
The Islanders (0-1) looked sharp early, taking the first two sets 25-18 and 25-22 with strong swings from senior
Katelyn Krienke and steady distribution from sophomore
Virginia Van Der Werff. Breaking a 19-18 back-and-forth, a 6-0 run pushed A&M-Corpus Christi in front to the end as the Islanders closed the first set of the season up 25-18.
In the second set, the Islanders fought off several Fresno State surges but crawled back after going down 16-10. With the score tied late, Van Der Werff connected with Krienke for a trio of kills to seal a 25-22 win and a commanding 2-0 lead.
Fresno State regrouped in the third, capitalizing on a series of long rallies and sneaking a few more attacks than the Islanders. The Bulldogs pulled away late to win 25-19, then evened the match with a 25-20 victory in the fourth, as the Islanders struggled to slow down Addison Haluska, who finished with a match-high 22 kills.
In the decisive fifth, A&M-Corpus Christi traded points early and pulled within 10-9 after a putaway from senior
Kaitlyn Baumann. But Fresno State answered with a 5-2 run and held on for a 15-11 finish to clinch the match.
Krienke paced the Islanders with 15 kills and 17.5 points, while sophomore
Hadley Burger and Baumann each added 11 kills. Junior
Kenna Buchanan posted a balanced line of seven kills and 11 digs, and redshirt sophomore
Brooklyn Jaeger led the defense with 20 digs after settling back into the libero role. Van Der Werff turned in 46 assists along with three service aces and seven kills herself.
A&M-Corpus Christi will look to bounce back Saturday when it takes on host Arizona at 2:30 p.m. CT.
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