ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Four members of the Texas A&M-Kingsville volleyball team had at least 12 kills as the Javelinas came back to defeat Henderson State 3-2 (24-26, 25-17, 25-27, 25-10, 15-9) Friday afternoon in the John E. and Adaline Simon Athletic Center at the Maryville Invitational.
Valarie Moehrig had a game-high 16 kills while
Madison Brabham,
Ashley Bukowski and
Krystal Faison posted 12 kills each.
The Blue and Gold are off to a 2-0 start while the Reddies are 0-1 and play their second match of the tournament tonight. It is the first time in program history since at least 1988 that TAMUK went five sets in their first two contests of the season.
Faison added 20 digs, two away from matching her career-high, for her 12th career double-double. Also achieving a double-double was Bukowski with 14 digs to give her five as a Javelina.
Casey Klobedans had 49 assists for the second straight match while adding five kills and two blocks.
Brett Zaccardo finished with 28 digs, nearly matching her career best. Adding four service aces apiece were
Abbey Wells and Bukowski.
The Javelinas seemed to be on their way to a first set victory after taking a 20-14 lead following an attack error by HSU's Jessie Jacoby. However, the Reddies had other plans in mind as they won 12 of the last 16 points to go up one set up in the match.
In set number two, the Blue and Gold held HSU to only four kills while forcing seven attack errors for a -.088 attack percentage. Faison posted four kills while Bukowski and Moehrig had three kills each during the 25-17 frame win.
Neither team could pull out in front until three consecutive points by the Reddies gave them a 17-14 lead in the third set. The Javelinas fought back to take a 25-24 advantage following a HSU attack error and a combined block by Brabham and Klobedans. Unfortunately for the Hoggies, HSU scored three straight to go ahead 2-1 in the contest.
Tied 7-7 in the fourth, TAMUK won six of the next eight points to go out in front. After a kill from HSU's Violet Williams to cut the Javelinas lead to 13-10, the Blue and Gold went on a 12-0 run to finish off the set with Moehrig posting the final two points on back-to-back kills.
Despite dropping the first two points, TAMUK dominated the decisive fifth set with a 12-4 kill advantage. The Javelinas also hit .370 to the Reddies' .136 attack percentage.
Next up for the Hoggies are Central Oklahoma at 1 p.m. and Maryville at 5 p.m. on Saturday to conclude their time in the "Show Me" state.
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