CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi volleyball team hosted Stephen F. Austin this afternoon at the Dugan Wellness Center. The Islanders fell 3-1 after taking the opening set (20-25, 25-8, 25-21, 25-23), that moves their record to 6-13 overall and 4-4 in Southland Conference play.
Kenna Buchanan and
Ally Saleh led the Islanders offensively as they finished in double figures in kills with 14 and 12, respectively. Setter
Virginia Van Der Werff finished with six kills and 41 assists, one shy of her season high. The Islanders had more kills in the match, 56-52, but had twice as many errors while SFA had 13 aces and 12 blocks to just six aces and three blocks for Corpus Christi.
In what is becoming somewhat of a theme of late, the Islanders came out and played their best set in the opener. They jumped ahead by taking it 25-20 as Buchanan and Saleh each had five kills. The Islanders hit .316 as a team and had 20 kills in the set. They jumped out to a 6-1 lead, forcing an early Ladyjack timeout. In the middle of the set, SFA climbed back into the set, but the Islanders won seven of eight points to go up 16-9 and never looked back.
The momentum of the match completely flipped in the second set as SFA jumped out to a 7-3 lead and then went on to win the next nine points to control the set with a 16-3 lead. SFA went on to even the match 1-1 as they closed it 25-8 as they hit over .500 in the set.
The final two sets were played at a high level on both sides of the net. Saleh had five kills to lead the Islanders while
Tatum Mason had three of her seven kills in the set. Both teams hit .500 in the third in a set that went back-and-forth early. The Ladyjacks built a 19-11 lead, but the home side continued to battle behind the serve of
Madison Morrow late and won six-straight points to bring the Islanders within one point, 22-21. After an SFA timeout to stop the momentum, they closed out the third with the next three points.
The fourth set was the closest of the match, as there were 12 ties and seven lead changes in the set.
Kaitlyn Aleshire came to life with five kills in seven attacking chances. The Islanders were up 21-20 late but couldn't close out the match as SFA claimed the set 25-23.
The Islanders fall to 4-4 in conference play after their third-straight defeat that drops them into a tie for fifth. They are back on the road next week as they face LSU New Orleans on Thursday and Southeastern on Saturday afternoon.
