DENTON, Texas – Sophomore Jordan Wonders (Corpus Christi, Texas) hit a season-best .571 with a team-high 10 kills, but it came in a losing effort for the Texas A&M-Kingsville women's volleyball team, which was handed a 25-23, 19-25, 25-15, 25-20 defeat by the Texas Woman's Pioneers in Lone Star Conference action at the Kitty Magee Arena in Denton, Texas on Saturday afternoon.
Wonders' .571 hitting percentage led all players with at least 10 attacks and her 10 kills came on just 14 swings. Junior Kapri Pelle (Auburn, Calif.) and sophomore Kailey Estrada (San Antonio, Texas) each added eight finishers.
Sophomore Nicole Murff's (San Antonio, Texas) 16 digs were the most in the match, as were Talleyshia Morris' (Tulsa, Okla.) six total blocks. Sophomore Lauren Kadilis (Spring Branch, Texas) had TAMUK's highest assist total with 24.
Neither team led by more than three points at any time during a first set in which the lead changed hands five times. Over one stretch, the Javelinas (16-10, 7-5) outscored the Pioneers (12-10, 8-4) 9-3 to go from down 16-13 to leading, 22-19. TWU took over after that, however, and won six of the last seven points in frame, capped off by a kill from Courtney Noel to clinch the set for the home team.
The lead again changed hands multiple times in the beginning of the second set, but Javelinas used a 9-2 run that included two kills from Estrada to move in front 16-10. The teams spent the rest of the set matching scores before a smash from junior Roxanne Morris (Goliad, Texas) put the teams in a 1-1 tie. TAMUK hit .314 in the frame and held TWU to .030, forcing eight attack errors.
The Javelinas jumped out to a 7-3 lead to start the third game with some help from senior Melanie Casteel (Dallas, Texas) who contributed two kills. The Pioneers responded by winning six of the next seven rallies for a 10-9 edge, but the teams then exchanged scores until the score was tied at 13. TWU controlled the rest of the set, winning 12 of the final 14 points and Addison Mulroney's finisher put her team ahead 2-1.
The Pioneers maintained the momentum they built at the end of the third frame into the fourth, racing out to a 15-7 lead. The Javelinas slowly chipped away at their deficit, getting as close as 23-20 following a pair of blocks and a kill from Pelle, only to see TWU then record the last two points they needed, including a block from Courtney Noel and Elizabeth Ugbaja to seal the deal. The Javelinas were held to a .000 hitting percentage in the final set.
On Friday, the Javelinas will take the court at home to face the West Texas A&M Lady Buffs at 6 p.m. To keep up with Javelina volleyball all season long, follow @JavelinaVB and @JavelinaSports on Twitter and Instagram, visit TAMUK Volleyball on Facebook, subscribe to the Javelina Athletics YouTube Channel and visit Javelinaathletics.com. Watch your Javelinas live today on the Javelina Sports Network sponsored by Mendoza's Pharmacy.
