KINGSVILLE, TEXAS –The Texas A&M-Kingsville women's volleyball team fell to the UT Permian Basin Flacons 25-17,25-23, 25-17, on Saturday in the Steinke Physical Education Center, despite a 20-dig performance by junior libero Nichole Murff (San Antonio, Texas).
 
"UPTB has a lot of offence, particularly, their outside hitters", said coach Tanya Allen "they have a fast set to the outside and big arms, and I think it rattled us a little bit.
 
Murf's season-dig total has now risen to 330, with an impressive mark of 5.59 scoops per set that currently has her placed 15th on the national leaderboard in that category. 
 
Additionally, the Javelinas out-blocked the Falcons 6-3, with junior Kailey Estrada (San Antonio, Texas) leading all competitors with two, while freshman Ayanna Jackson (San Antonio, Texas), sophomore Tammy Jo Grohman (San Antonio, Texas), and Kelsey Luckenbach (Calallen, Texas) each adding a solo block to the team's total. 
 
The Falcons outkilled the Javelinas as a team 44-25, while Estrada posted the best total of anyone in a Blue and Gold, terminating the ball seven times.
 
The opposition jumped out to an early 7-3 lead in the first set that wasn't relinquished, as the Javs were unable to put together a run longer than two points in the opening frame. 
 
The opening of the second set was a mirror image of the first, with the Javelinas taking a 7-3 lead courtesy of two Jordan Schenkel (San Antonio, Texas) service aces, an Estrada kill, and a trio of Falcon errors. UTPB slowly chipped away at the Hog's lead until they tied it up late in the set at 20-apiece. From there, the visitors took four of the following six points before claiming the set on a Javelina miscue. 
 
A back-and-forth third set had the home team up one at 9-8 before UTPB rattled off six straight, never looking back en route to the eight-point decision.
 
The Javelinas now turn their attention to a pair of road games against West Texas A&M and Eastern New Mexico before returning to the SPEC for a couple of games beginning on Friday, November 5, as they take on the St. Edwards Hilltoppers on Alumni Day, with a Senior Day contest against the St, Mary Rattlers on Saturday, November 6.
 
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