Texas A&M-Commerce dropped a 27-30, 30-23, 30-20, 30-18 decision to Central Oklahoma on the final day of the SWOSU Classic.
A&M-Commerce (7-13) was led by the double-double performance of all-tournament selection Colleen Favaro, who recorded a team-high 16 kills and 20 digs in the loss. Five other Lions recorded double-digit digs including Lauren Flynn with 17, Mandy Berger with 15, Brittany Williams with 11 and Jackie Orr with 10. Senior Wannie Neal joined Favaro in double figures in kills with 10.
Central Oklahoma (19-4) was led by the performance of tournament MVP Mari Araujo, who had 21 kills, 16 digs and six blocks in the win.
The Lions won the opening game for the 14th time in 20 matches to start the match. In game one, the A&M-Commerce attack out hit the Bronchos, .182 to .020. Favaro, Neal and Terra Ousley led the attack with four kills apiece.
The Bronchos took the next three games as they were able to out hit the Lions, .203 to .059. In the process, Araujo had 15 kills, 11 digs and four blocks to lead the UCO attack.
Favaro represented A&M-Commerce on the All-Tournament Team. The San Antonio native had 65 kills and 63 digs and six blocks in the Lions’ three matches.
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Coming off a five-game thrilling victory over host Southwestern Oklahoma to start the day, the Texas A&M-Commerce dropped a five-game decision to Missouri Southern, 31-29, 38-40, 23-30, 32-30, 15-12 in the Lions’ final match of the opening day of the SWOSU Classic.
A&M-Commerce (7-12) recorded a season-high 84 kills, including a season-high and match-high 30 from senior Colleen Favaro. Senior Wannie Neal added 19 and freshmen Terra Ousley and Rachel Lance each added 16 and 13 kills, respectively in the defeat. Plus, sophomore Lauren Flynn set a season-high with 47 digs and junior setter Brittany Williams had a season-high 63 assists in the defeat. The Lions serving corps came up with 11 service aces, including three each from Ousley and Williams.
Missouri Southern (11-10) also had four players, who recorded double-digit kills as Sarah Hoffmeister and Ashlee Russell led the attack with 16 kills apiece.
Ashley Wright and Jeanna Feldman each added 15 and 14 kills, respectively. Setter Sarah Jones had a double-double performance with 37 assists and 13 digs; plus, Teyoni Wilson served up six service aces.
Since the start of rally scoring in 2001, the 40-38 victory by the Lions in game two, it is the highest score for an individual game in school history.
The game featured 15 tie scores and four lead changes.
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The Texas A&M-Commerce volleyball team won a five-game thriller over host Southwestern Oklahoma in Friday’s first match of the SWOSU Classic. In the win, A&M-Commerce rallied from a two games-to-one advantage by the host Savage Storm as the Lions were victorious 30-24, 18-30, 23-30, 30-23, 15-10.
The Lions (7-11) had three players record double-digit kills, including a match-high 19 from senior Colleen Favaro. The middle blocker from San Antonio, who ranks 20th in the nation in kills per game, led an A&M-Commerce attack that out hit the host Savage Storm, .116 to .109. She also recorded her seventh double-double of the season with a season-high 22 digs in the win; in addition, she had two service aces and four blocks.
Southwestern Oklahoma (9-12) had four players who recorded double-digit kills, including a team-high 17 from Kasandra Gurtner, who also added 16 digs in the defeat.
A key to the Lions victory was the Lions frontline, who matched a season-high with 12 blocks. Senior Wannie Neal had seven block solos to go along with 11 kills in the win. Along with Favaro, sophomore Brittany Williams and freshman Terra Ousley added four blocks apiece.
In the final two games, the Lions out hit the Savage Storm .173 to .045. In game four, Favaro had five kills and freshmen Rachel Lance and Ousley each had four kills to pace an attack that hit at a match-high .273 clip. In the decisive fifth game, Williams had two service aces as A&M-Commerce raced out to an 8-3 lead.