SAN ANGELO, Texas (Volleyball) – Ashley Bukowski finished with 11 kills, 12 digs and three blocked shots, Lexi Wick added 14 kills and three blocks and Krystal Puente recorded 23 digs in Texas A&M University-Kingsville's (26-9) 3-1 Lone Star Conference Semifinals loss to #RV Tarleton State University (26-5) Friday evening at the Junell Center at Stephens Arena.
 
With the loss, the best season in school history hopefully continues Monday as the Javelinas wait to see if they earn a bid in the 2016 NCAA Division II South Central Regionals. The selection show is scheduled for Monday at 7:30 p.m. and will be streamed live on the NCAA's website.
 
Set One
Trailing early 6-4, the Javelinas scored four unanswered with back-to-back kills by Wick and capped off by an ace by Taliah Phipps to take an 8-6 edge. The TexAnns put together a run of their own to regain the lead 11-8 before Bukowki's kill ended the Purple and Black's run. An intense match minutes into set one, the Javelinas tied the opening set at 11-11 as the defense continued to respond.
 
Trading points with Tarleton State, the Javelinas were able to end the back-and-forth and extend their lead 20-17. A How You Doin' reference from the icon Jeremy Bryant following a Bukowski kill was before a Faison bomb as the Hogs added to their cushion, 22-18.
 
TSU tied the set at 23-23 before a kill by Haley Hutchinson put the Hogs in game point. The TexAnns were able to secure the opening set 25-23.
 
Puente led all players with nine digs in set No. 1 and Wick and Madison Brabham each had four kills.
 
Set Two
The Hogs rallied from a three-point deficit to take a 10-9 lead on a Hutchinson block, Brabham kill, ace by Krystal Faison and kill by Bukowski, respectively, forcing a Tarleton State timeout.
 
Coming out the break, Hutchinson and Buki swatted away a TexAnn attempt and Faison followed with another ace – her second of the set – to extend the lead to 12-9.
 
TSU was able to regain the lead 13-12 but Bukowski's kill knotted the game up at 13-all. The close matchup continued with Wick's kill tying the game up, this time at 14, and Bukowski's kill allowed the Hogs to take over 15-14.
 
The Blue and Gold officially tallied a point six consecutive times, with Phipps' ace leading to TSU's final timeout of the second stanza as the Hogs led 19-14.
 
Tarleton State cut it to 20-19 with Tanya Allen calling a timeout for the Javs. The close set ultimately went to the Hogs following Bukowski's ninth kill of the evening, 25-23, to tie the match at 1-1.

The first two sets showed how evenly matched these two clubs were with 20 ties between the teams that split the regular season matchups.
 
Set Three
The third set got off to a bang with Faison's third ace of the match and Bukowski's back-to-back blocks to give A&M-Kingsville the early lead 3-1.
 
The TexAnns took a 22-11 lead and closed out the third set with a 25-13 victory to go up 2-1 in the match.
 
Set Four
Tarleton State was able to clinch the win and advance to the championship game 25-16 with the 2-1 victory.
 
Next Up
The Javelinas will see if they receive a bid into the 2016 NCAA Division II South Central Regionals as the selection show is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m. The Javelinas are currently ninth in the region.
 
Social Media
Fans are also encouraged to interact with @JavelinaSports by following Texas A&M-Kingsville volleyball on Twitter, @JavelinaVB, and @JavelinaVB on Instagram, liking the official Facebook page of Javelina volleyball (/JavelinaVB) and subscribing to the JavelinaAthletics YouTube channel.