MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Despite a fast start, the Texas A&M-Kingsville women's volleyball team was unable to hold on to a 2-0 lead and fell, 3-2, to the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals on Friday afternoon at the Health and Sports Center in Miami Shores, Fla.

Junior Sarah Miller (Long Beach, Calif.) and senior Madison Brabham (Kingwood, Texas) tied for the match-high in kills with while Miller's .188 attack percentage led the team. Each player also reached double figures in another category, with Brabham logging 16 assists and Miller being credited with 14 digs.

Freshman Emily North (Red Oak, Texas) collected her second double-double in 2018 with 25 assists and 12 digs. Nicole Murff (San Antonio, Texas), another freshman, led the squad with 14 scoops and joining Murff, North and Brabham in double-digits in that category was junior Loren Washington (Austin, Texas) with 14.

The teams opened with even play that lasted until the score stood at 7-7. That's when the Javelinas raced away, spurred on by blocks from Brabham and freshman Kailey Estrada (San Antonio, Texas), scoring nine of the next 11 points. A late rally by the Cardinals brought them within two, but an attack error by SVSU put the score at 1-0 TAMUK.

Set No. 2 followed a similar script as a 7-7 tie was broken by a 10-2 spurt that included two kills by Miller and a pair of rejections by senior Haley Hutchinson (Georgetown, Texas). No late rebound was in the cards this time for Saginaw Valley, as a smash by Miller ended the frame.

The redbirds we're able to bounce back, grabbing nine of the first 10 points in the next stanza. The Javs, who hit just - .027 in this period, were not able to get closer than five points as a 25-17 score kept the match alive.

An early 4-0 SCSU edge was erased when the Javelinas won 10 of the next 13, with Miller and Brabham each adding two to their kill total. The set would see 10 ties after that, with neither side getting more than three points ahead of the other. TAMUK secured a pair of match points, but the clinching play eluded the squad. With the scoreboard reading 27 all, a kill and an attack error made both sides level. The Cardinals earned the win by taking the fifth set, 15-5.

The SVSU offense was led by Emily Friesl's 14 kills and Reagan Moffit's match-high .409 hit rate to go with 12 finishers. As a team, the Cards hit .194 while limiting their opponents to an .081 mark.

Lindsey Jacobs passed out 32 assists and Abbie Toland was credited with 17 digs.

The Javelinas are scheduled for one more match on Friday, a 6 p.m. tilt with Barry University. You can stay current with everything related to Javelina volleyball all season long by following @JavelinaVB on Twitter and @javelinasports on Instagram, liking Javelina Volleyball on Facebook and visiting Javelinasports.com.