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TAMUC – Sports

VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball sweeps TWU with stellar hitting performances.

COMMERCE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team swept Texas Woman’s University on Tuesday night. The Lion hitters caught fire early in the match and kept the momentum. The set scores were 25-12, 26-24 and 25-14.

The win brings the Lions to 15-9 on the season and 10-4 in the Lone Star Conference. The Pioneers fall to 10-13 and 7-7 in conference play. The teams split their season series, with each home team recording a sweep.

The Lions will retake the court Saturday as they host Texas A&M-Kingsville. The match will start at 2:00 p.m. at the Field House. Fans are encouraged to wear pink at the “Dig Pink” match for breast cancer awareness.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Mariyah Oliver led the Lions with 13 kills. She had six kills in the second set and hit .565 in the match.
– Jaslyn Wacker had eight kills and had four blocks in the contest.
– Shelley Chapron hit .700 with seven kills and six blocks.
– Layne Little had six kills while Preston Lienemann and Neka Nelson had five kills apiece.
– Lienemann led the team with 13 digs. Savannah Rutledge had 11 digs, and Lacie Jessup had 10.
– Gabriela Rosa led the team with 23 assists as the team collectively hit .396 in the match. Rylie Fuentes added 13 assists.
– Jessup, Wacker, and Fuentes each had an ace.
– The Lions had ten blocks in the game and held TWU to a .121 hitting percentage.
– A&M-Commerce had a season-low six hitting errors in the match while TWU had 19.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions jumped on TWU early in the first set. After giving up the first point, the Lions scored 12 of the next 14 points. Oliver had four early kills while Wacker added two. The Lions held a 12-3 lead. After the teams traded points, the Lions then went on another run, scoring seven points in a row to take a commanding 22-8 lead in the set. Chapron had two kills, and three blocks in the sequence and the Lions won the first set 25-12.

The second set was the most competitive of the match. The teams traded the first eight points before the Lions took a two-point lead. TWU responded by scoring six points in a row, capitalizing on several Lion hitting errors. The Pioneers took a 10-6 lead. The Lions responded with a four-point run to tie the set at 11 at the halfway point.

The teams continued to battle as the set remained close throughout. With the game tied at 16, TWU took two points before A&M-Commerce countered with four points in a row, including a kill and an ace from Wacker to lead 20-18. TWU then had a three-point run to take the lead back. The Lions scored three points in arrow to lead 24-22 before two TWU points sent the set into extra points. The Lions responded, and two kills by Oliver gave the Lions a 26-24 win.

The third set was close starting as the Lions had a 9-8 lead. A&M-Commerce then rallied to take control of the game. They scored six of the next seven points, including a kill and a block from Lienemann. The Lions held a 15-9 lead. TWU cut the Lion lead to five points before a late run closed the door on the match. Oliver and Chapron had two kills apiece at the end as A&M-Commerce scored seven of the final eight points to take the set 25-14.

 

WOMEN’S GOLF

Lions conclude fall schedule with the sixth-place finish at Henderson State Invitational.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The Texas A&M University-Commerce women’s golf team faced high winds once again at the Henderson State Invitational on Tuesday and finished in sixth place in the tournament.

The Lions shot 1,004 (326-342-336, +140) with reasonably consistent scores in the final round of the fall. Only one player in the 44-person field broke 80 in Tuesday’s series.

Sophie-Charlott Hempel was the Lions’ top finisher in eighth place at 244 (+28, 78-81-85). It is her first career top ten finish.

Lauren Leslie placed 18th with a score of 251 (+35, 79-87-85), while Anya Anders was 24th at 255 (+39, 88-83-84). Lexi Bubenchik was 28th in her first collegiate tournament at 256 (+40, 81-91-84), and Celeste Emeott had the Lions’ lowest round of the day with an 83 on the way to the 32nd place at 265 (+49, 91-91-83).

Harding won the event with a 972 team score, and Southern Arkansas’ Helle Leed was the individual medalist at 229 as the only player in the 70s on Tuesday.

It concludes the fall portion of the Lions’ schedule. A&M-Commerce finished in the top five at both Northeastern State and Dallas Baptist events this fall. The Lions will next hit the links competitively on February 12-13, 2018, at the St. Mary’s Rattler Invitational in San Antonio.

Rank   Team Scores  Total   Par 
1.  Harding  313  321  338  972   +108
2.  UT Tyler  327  314  333  974   +110
3.  Henderson State  323  315  344  982   +118
4.  Southern Arkansas  340  317  327  984   +120
5.  Arkansas-Monticello  330  327  339  996   +132
6.  A&M-Commerce   326  342  336  1004   +140
7.  Northwestern Oklahoma State  355  330  361  1046   +182

 

A&M-Commerce 326 342 336   1004    +140   6th
Sophie Hempel 78 81 85   244    +28   t-8th
Lauren Leslie 79 87 85   251    +35   t-18th
Anya Anders 88 83 84   255    +39   t-24th
Lexi Bubenchik 81 91 84   256    +40   28th
Celeste Emeott 91 91 83   265    +49   t-32nd

Lions sit in sixth at Henderson State Invitational after battling tough conditions opening day.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Tough conditions led to high scores for the Texas A&M University-Commerce women’s golf team in the first two rounds of the Henderson State Invitational at Hot Springs CC’s Park Course on Monday.

The Lions shot 668 (326-342, +92) and sit in sixth place following the opening 36 holes of action.

Sophie-Charlott Hempel is the leading Lion after two rounds, carding a 159 (78-81, +15) to sit in eighth place. She was one of the more consistent players in the field in the opening day with 21 pars.

Lauren Leslie is in 20th place at 166 (79-87, +22). She had three birdies, which is the fifth most in the field.

Anya Anders had four birdies on the day and is in 28th place at 171 (88-83, +27). Lexi Bubenchik is a stroke behind her at 172 (81-91, =28) for 30th place. Celeste Emeott rounded out the Lions’ scores with a 182 (91-91, +38) for 41st place.

Harding leads the field at 634 (+58), and the Bisons’ Brooklyn Terry is the tournament leader at +9.

The tournament wraps up with 18 holes Tuesday.

Rank  Team Scores Total  Par 
1.  Harding 313 321 634 +58
2.  Henderson State 323 315 638 +62
3.  UT Tyler 327 314 641 +65
4.  Arkansas-Monticello 330 327 657 +81
 Southern Arkansas 340 317 657 +81
6.  A&M-Commerce  326 342 668 +92
7.  Northwestern Oklahoma State 355 330 685 +109

 

A&M-Commerce 326 342 668 +92 6th
Sophie Hempel 78 81 159 +15 8th
Lauren Leslie 79 87 166 +22 20th
Anya Anders 88 83 171 +27 t-28th
Lexi Bubenchik 81 91 172 +28 t-30th
Celeste Emeott 91 91 182 +38 t-41st

FOOTBALL

Lions ranked eighth in initial Super Region Four rankings.

INDIANAPOLIS – The Texas A&M University-Commerce football team is ranked eighth in NCAA Division II Super Region Four in the first release of the regional rankings, announced Monday.

The Lions are 6-1 overall with a 4-1 in-region record. Super Region Four consists of the Lone Star, Great Northwest Athletic, Northern Sun Intercollegiate, and Rocky Mountain Athletic conferences. The top seven teams in the region at the completion of the season advance to the NCAA Division II Football Championship, with the field, announced on Sunday, November 12.

There are four undefeated teams in Super Region Four – top-ranked Winona State (8-0), second-ranked Central Washington (8-0), third-ranked Minnesota State (8-0), and fourth-ranked Midwestern State (6-0). Winona State and Minnesota State play each other this weekend.

Humboldt State (6-1) is ranked fifth, followed by Sioux Falls (7-1) in the sixth, Colorado Mesa (7-1) in seventh, and A&M-Commerce in the eighth. Eastern New Mexico (6-1) is ninth, and Minnesota-Duluth (6-2) is 10th.

The Lions have three games remaining in the regular season, starting with a road trip to West Texas A&M this Saturday. Kickoff at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium in Canyon is 6:00 p.m.
NCAA Division II Super Region Four Rankings – October 23, 2017

Rk School In-Region Division II
1 Winona State 8-0 8-0
2 Central Washington 7-0 8-0
3 Minnesota State 8-0 8-0
4 Midwestern State 5-0 6-0
5 Humboldt State 6-1 6-1
6 Sioux Falls 7-1 7-1
7 Colorado Mesa 7-1 7-1
8 A&M-COMMERCE 4-1 6-1
9 Eastern New Mexico 5-1 6-1
10 Minnesota-Duluth 6-2 6-2

Games in the Regional Rankings This Week
No. 1 Winona State at No. 3 Minnesota State – 1:00 p.m. Saturday
Azusa Pacific at No. 2 Central Washington – 3:00 p.m. Saturday
No. 4 Midwestern State at UT Permian Basin – 6:00 p.m. Saturday
No. 5 Humboldt State at Simon Fraser – 3:00 p.m. Saturday
Augustana at No. 6 Sioux Falls – Noon Saturday
New Mexico Highlands at No. 7 Colorado Mesa – 2:00 p.m. Saturday
No. 8 A&M-Commerce at West Texas A&M – 6:00 p.m. Saturday
Texas A&M-Kingsville at No. 9 Eastern New Mexico – 8:00 p.m. Saturday
No. 10 Minnesota-Duluth at Bemidji State – 7:05 p.m. Thursday

Luis Perez wins LSC Offensive Player of the Week for the third time after another stellar performance.

COMMERCE–Texas A&M University-Commerce quarterback Luis Perez has been named the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week. It is the second consecutive week Perez has received the award and the third time this season. The player of the week awards was announced Monday by the conference office.

Perez– a senior from Chula Vista, Calif.– led the No. 9 Lions to a 34-20 victory over Angelo State with 373 yards passing, completing 34-of-46 attempts with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He completed touchdown passes of 49, 11, 7, and 33 yards. Perez had four touchdown passes for his sixth straight game – the only QB in Division II to accomplish that feat this season. He also threw for more than 300 yards for the fifth consecutive game and 10th time in his career. Perez moved up to fourth all-time at A&M-Commerce in passing yards at 5,585 – only 370 away from tying the school record. The Lions now rank fifth nationally in passing offense, and Perez leads the LSC in completion percentage, passing efficiency, passing touchdowns, and point responsibility. He ranks second in the league in passing yardage.

Perez and the Lions are now ranked No. 9 in the latest AFCA Coaches’ Poll, as announced earlier today. The first official NCAA Division II Super Regional Rankings will be released later today. That is the ranking that determines the final playoff field. The Lions are 6-1 on the season and 4-1 in the LSC. They return to the gridiron on Saturday on the road against West Texas A&M (3-5, 1-4 LSC). The game will be played at 6 p.m. at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium in Canyon.

LONE STAR CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Offensive
Sept. 4 – D’Angelo Bowie, Western New Mexico
Sept. 11 – Jordan Thomas, Texas A&M-Kingsville
Sept. 18 – Luis Perez, Texas A&M-Commerce
Sept. 25 – Xavier Turner, Tarleton State
Oct. 2 – Layton Rabb, Midwestern State
Oct. 9 – Layton Rabb, Midwestern State (2)
Oct. 16 – Luis Perez, Texas A&M-Commerce (2)
Oct. 23 – Luis Perez, Texas A&M-Commerce (3)

Defensive
Sept. 4 – Chris Smith, Texas A&M-Commerce
Sept. 11 – Daelin Young, West Texas A&M
Sept. 18 – EJ Speed, Tarleton State
Sept. 25 – Yusef Sterling-Lowe, Texas A&M-Commerce
Oct. 2 – Brad Hardin, Eastern New Mexico
Oct. 9 – Dominic Barry, Western New Mexico
Oct. 16 – Kevin Hayes, Midwestern State
Oct. 23 – Drew Bolin, Midwestern State

Special Teams
Sept. 4 – Bailey Hale, Eastern New Mexico
Sept. 11 – Alex Schrag, West Texas A&M
Sept. 18 – Sergio Sroka, Tarleton State
Sept. 25 – Kristov Martinez, Texas A&M-Commerce
Oct. 2 – Ron Reid, Tarleton State
Oct. 9 – Collin Grady, Western New Mexico
Oct. 16 – Connor Flanigan, Angelo State
Oct. 23 – Collin Grady, Western New Mexico (2)

 

Lions climb one spot in AFCA Coaches Poll to No. 9.

WACO – The Texas A&M University-Commerce football team has moved up one spot to No. 9 in the American Football Coaches’ Association Division II Coaches’ Poll, released Monday.

The Lions ran their record to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the Lone Star Conference with a 34-20 win over Angelo State at home on Saturday. The defense limited one of the top offenses in the nation to over 100 yards under its previous average, while quarterback Luis Perez completed 73.9 percent of his passes for 373 yards and four touchdowns. Carandal Hale had 104 yards rushing and receivers Darrion Landry and Marquis Wimberly each went over 100 yards with two touchdown receptions apiece.

Ranked ahead of the Lions are three undefeated teams in Super Region Four. Minnesota State is No. 3, Midwestern State is No. 5, and Central Washington is No. 8. Winona State, undefeated, is right behind A&M-Commerce at No. 10. Other regional teams in the top 25 include No. 14 Sioux Falls (7-1), No. 15 Colorado Mesa (7-1), No. 18 Humboldt State (6-1), No. 21 Eastern New Mexico (6-1), and No. 24 Colorado State-Pueblo (6-2).

The first official NCAA Division II Super Regional Rankings will be released later today. That is the ranking that determines the final playoff field.

A&M-Commerce has been ranked in 35 consecutive AFCA polls, dating back to the 2015 preseason poll. It is A&M-Commerce’s 41st all-time appearance in the AFCA poll since its inception in 2000.

The Lions travel to Canyon this weekend to take on West Texas A&M (3-5, 1-4 LSC). Kickoff is 6:00 pm Saturday at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium.

2017 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – October 23, 2017

Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev.
1. Northwest Missouri St. (34) 8-0 850 1
2. Shepherd (W.Va.) 7-0 794 2
3. Minnesota St. 8-0 753 4
4. Indiana (Pa.) 8-0 749 3
5. Midwestern St. (Texas) 6-0 697 5
6. Indianapolis (Ind.) 8-0 687 6
7. Fort Hays St. (Kan.) 8-0 646 8
8. Central Washington 8-0 571 9
9. A&M-COMMERCE 6-1 539 10
10. Winona St. (Minn.) 8-0 537 11
11. Ferris St. (Mich.) 6-1 503 12
12. Ashland (Ohio) 7-1 475 13
Assumption (Mass.) 7-0 475 14
14. Sioux Falls (S.D.) 7-1 397 15
15. Colorado Mesa 7-1 382 16
16. Wingate (N.C.) 7-0 349 20
17. Virginia St. 7-0 303 21
18. Humboldt St. (Calif.) 6-1 250 22
19. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 6-2 216 7
20. Bowie St. (Md.) 7-1 206 23
21. Eastern New Mexico 6-1 168 24
22. Findlay (Ohio) 7-1 115 NR
23. Central Missouri 6-2 83 NR
24. Colorado St.-Pueblo 6-2 82 NR
25. West Alabama 6-2 70 18

Dropped Out: Slippery Rock (Pa.) (17), Delta St. (Miss.) (19), Southeastern Oklahoma St. (25)

Others Receiving Votes: West Georgia, 33; Slippery Rock (Pa.), 26; Delta St. (Miss.), 20; California (Pa.), 19; Washburn (Kan.), 18; Shippensburg (Pa.), 17; Arkansas Tech, 7; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 5; Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 3; Catawba (N.C.), 1; Minnesota-Duluth, 1; Notre Dame (Ohio), 1; Southern Arkansas, 1; West Florida, 1.

 

No. 10 Lions corral Rams in 34-20 victory.

COMMERCE – Solid performances across the board handed the No. 10 Texas A&M University-Commerce football team a 34-20 victory over visiting Angelo State at Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Lions move to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the Lone Star Conference with the victory, while the Rams fall to 3-4 overall and 1-4 in the LSC.

A&M-Commerce is on the road next week, traveling to Canyon for a 6:00 p.m. kickoff on October 28 at West Texas A&M.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– The Lions had their first individual 100-yard rushing performance in nine games, as Carandal Hale picked up 104 yards on 21 carries.
– Luis Perez completed 34-of-47 passes for 368 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He moves into fifth all-time at A&M-Commerce in passing yardage at 5,580 yards, less than 400 yards away from the career lead.
– Two receivers broke the 100-yard mark, as Marquis Wimberly had eight receptions for 113 yards and Darrion Landry had six receptions for 105 yards. Both players had two receiving touchdowns.
– Punter Tristan Perry was excellent, averaging 44.7 yards on seven punts with two punts of over 50 yards and three punts inside the Ram 20.
– The Lion defense limited Angelo State to 379 yards of offense on 86 plays – over 120 yards below the Rams’ previous season average on offense.
– Kristov Martinez made field goals of 23 and 26 yards and connected on all four PATs for 10 points.
– Dominique Ramsey and Garrett Blubaugh tied for the team lead in tackles with eight stops apiece. Ramsey sealed the victory with a late interception for the game’s only turnover.
– Brucks Saathoff chipped in with seven tackles, and Norman Moimoi had a sack.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lion offense took the opening kickoff and drove deep into Ran territory before a holding penalty forced a long goal to go situation, and an errant snap on a field goal attempt kept the Lions from putting points on the board.

The Rams scored first after a 12-play, 53-yard drive ended on a 45-yard Connor Flanigan field goal with the wind at his back. The boot made it a 3-0 lead for the guests with 4:20 left in the first quarter.

The Lions quickly took a lead which they would not relinquish. A&M-Commerce needed only five plays to find paydirt, as Perez connected with Landry from 49 yards out for the first Lion points of the day. The hosts took a 7-3 lead with 2:51 left in the first quarter.

After an Angelo State three-and-out on the first drive of the second quarter, the Lions extended the lead to 10-3 on Martinez’ 23-yard field goal with 11:28 remaining in the first half.

Angelo State held the Lions just inside Angelo State’s territory, but Perry boomed a beautiful punt that downed at the Ram 3-yard line. ASU went three-and-out, and a 24-yard punt return by Shawn Hooks set the Lions up at the Ram 11. Two plays later, Perez completed a scoring pass to Wimberly in the front corner of the end zone to put the lead at 17-3 with 4:11 left in half.

ASU had its best-sustained drive of the opening half hour on its next trip and the 11-play, 75-yard drive ended in a 23-yard touchdown pass from Charlie Rotherham to Wesley Lewis. That scoring play made it a 17-10 lead for A&M-Commerce at halftime.

The teams traded punts on their opening drives of the second half, and the Rams moved into Lion territory but could not score. At the A&M-Commerce 26, the long field goal attempt would have been into the wind, and the Rams elected to go for it on fourth down. Defensive lineman Jaylon Hodge broke up the pass to give the Lions the ball.

The Lions then took all momentum, as Perez went over the top and found Wimberly on a 51-yard completion to flip the field. That would start a 6-play, 74-yard drive that ended when Perez connected with Wimberly on a high pass in the end zone for a 24-10 lead with 6:41 left in the quarter.

The Rams brought the margin back to within one score when Rotherham scored from three yards out with 0:48 on the third quarter clock, capping a 9-play, 71-yard drive with the score at 24-17 in the hosts’ favor.

A&M-Commerce went back up by two scores after a 12-play, 57-yard drive that ended in Martinez’ 26-yard field goal with 11 minutes to play and the Lions in the lead at 27-17. Angelo State responded in kind with its 12-play field goal drive, making it a 27-20 contest with 8:14 to go after Flanigan’s 21-yarder.

The Lions put the cap on the scoring with 1:29 to play, as a 3:40 drive ended with a 33-yard scoring strike over the top from Perez to Landry on a long third down to make it 34-20.

The Rams had a final opportunity to get a quick score and force some late-game dramatics, but Ramsey correctly read a Rotherham pass and intercepted it at the 1-yard line.

 

SOCCER

Soccer defeats Eastern New Mexico 2-1 as Haywood provides game-winner on Senior Day.

COMMERCE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce soccer team scored a 2-1 win over Eastern New Mexico on Sunday. After falling behind in the fourth minute, the Lions scored goals in the seventh and the 65th minutes to win the match. It was a Senior Day celebration as the Lions honored seniors, Sophie Haywood and Raven Porter.

The win brings the Lions to 10-3-3 on the season and 6-3-1 in the Lone Star Conference. A&M-Commerce is now tied for second place in the LSC with two matches remaining. The Greyhounds fall to 3-8-5 and 2-5-3 in conference play.

The Lions will play their final two matches of the regular season on the road next week. A&M-Commerce will next face UT Permian Basin on Friday at 4 p.m. The game will be at the UTPB Soccer Field in Odessa.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– On Senior Day, senior Sophie Haywood scored the game-winning goal in the 65th minute. It was her 11th career goal and her seventh game-winning goal.
– Michelle Kotlik scored the game-tying goal in the seventh minute, giving her four goals on the year. She scored on a header off of a corner kick assist from Kara Blasingame.
– Caitlin Duty had six saves in the match.
– Sabrina Munguia had four shots on goal. Haywood, Kotlik and Leslie Campuzano each had two shots on goal. Jessika Coronado and Katie Givens also each had a shot on goal.
– The Lions had 12 shots on goal in the match while the Lion defense held ENMU to just seven shots on goal.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Greyhounds struck early in the match, scoring a goal in the fourth minute. A shot came in from the right and snuck just inside the left post. ENMU held a 1-0 lead.

After a shot from Jessika Coronado was saved and knocked out of bounds, the Lions had a corner kick in the seventh minute. Blasingame struck the ball toward the goal, and Kotlik outleapt the Greyhound defense and headed the ball into the net, tying the score at 1.

Duty made a save in the 11th minute as ENMU tried to regain the lead. Kotlik had another shot on goal but saved the shot in the 21st minute. Munguia also had a chance to score in the 24th minute. Sliding past the goalkeeper, she took a shot, but an ENMU defender was inside the goal and blocked the shot.

Haywood and Munguia each had shots on goal in the 29th minute as the Lion attack kept coming. The Greyhounds looked to respond with shots on goal in the 34th and 35th minutes. Duty was there to save both shots. Duty made another save in the 38th minute, and the match was tied 1-1 at halftime.

The Greyhounds had an early shot on goal in the second half that was saved by Duty. Munguia had a shot on goal in the 52nd minute while Campuzano had a shot saved in the 62nd minute.

The Lions took the lead in the 65th minute off of the foot of Haywood. She netted her eighth goal of the season to give the Lions a 2-1 lead.

The Lions looked for another goal to provide breathing room but could not find the net on multiple occasions. Munguia continued the attack, having several shots blocked inside the box. The Lions also had a goal nullified because of an offside penalty.

Campuzano had a shot on goal in the 83rd minute while Munguia just missed on a goal with a saved shot in the 87th minute. ENMU had one final opportunity with 11 seconds to play, but Duty saved the shot and the Lions left with the one-goal win.

 

VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball falls in four sets to No. 13 Tarleton State on the road.

STEPHENVILLE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team lost 3-1 to No. 13 Tarleton State on Saturday. The Lions won the first set but fell in the final three games. The set scores were 25-21, 11-25, 21-25 and 17-25.

The loss brings the Lion to 14-9 and 9-4 in the Lone Star Conference. The TexAnns improve to 20-4 and 12-1 in conference action.

The Lions return home on Tuesday for a match against Texas Women. The game will begin at 6:00 p.m. at the Field House.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Jaslyn Wacker had 12 kills with a hitting percentage of .417. She also had six blocks, including two solo blocks.
– Shelley Chapron also had 12 kills and added four blocks.
– Mariyah Oliver had seven kills and four blocks. Layne Little added five kills and two blocks.
– Preston Lienemann led the team with 12 digs and added two kills and two aces. Savannah Rutledge had nine digs.
– Gabriela Rosa and Rylie Fuentes had 16 assists each in the match. Rosa also had nine digs.
– TSU hit .259 in the game, recording 20 more kills than the Lions.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The TexAnns jumped out to the early lead in the first set, quickly taking an 11-7 lead. The Lions then went on a run, scoring five of the next six points to tie the match at 12 midway through the set. Chapron had two blocks and a kill in the sequence while Oliver also had a kill and a block.

The teams traded rallies before TSU took a 17-15 lead. The Lions again rallied, scoring six points in a row. Wacker had a kill, and an ace in the rally as the Lions took their largest lead of the entire match, a 21-17 advantage. The Lions won the first set 25-21.

The Lions held the lead early in the second set before TSU went on a long rally. With the match tied at 9-all, the TexAnns scored nine points in a row to take control of the game. It was part of a 16-2 run by Tarleton to win the second set 25-11.

The teams split the first six points of the third set before TSU took a two-point lead. The Lions then rallied with four points in a row, including two aces in a row from Lienemann. At the midway mark of the set, the teams tied at 12.

The TexAnns then started to take control of the set, winning four of the next five points. The Lions tried to rally with three points in a row late but could not overcome the deficit and fell 25-21.

TSU took the first four points of the fourth set. The Lions then answered back to win five of the next six points to tie the match at 6-all. The rally was capped off by two consecutive kills from Wacker.

With the set tied at 8-all, TSU then scored three points in a row and six points in a seven-point stretch to take control of the game. TSU led by as many as eight before a Lion run to cut the lead back down to five. It was too much to overcome, however, and the Lions fell in the final set 25-17.

 

CROSS COUNTRY

Lion women and men both finish fourth at Lone Star Conference Cross Country Championships.

KINGSVILLE – The Texas A&M University-Commerce cross country teams each placed fourth at the 2017 Lone Star Conference Cross Country Championships, held at L.E. Ramey Golf Course on Saturday morning.

“We are satisfied with both team’s results today, and I feel that both groups are starting to figure things out,” said A&M-Commerce head cross country coach George Pincock. “Both teams are full of freshmen and sophomore with just a handful of juniors who will certainly become better runners with more races and experiences like today.”

The Lion women accumulated 85 points in the race and led by a pair of top 10 finishers. Brandi Stalder placed fifth, and Laura Alicke placed seventh to earn the first team All-Conference honors. Stalder completed the race in 23:19.69 and Alicke came in 12 seconds behind her at 23:31.70.

Jasmine Amo placed 20th in the race at 24:33.29, followed by LSC All-Academic selection Maddie Shubert in 24th at 24:54.53. Mikayla Maldonado placed 29th at 25:12.45 to round out Lion scorers. Morgan Mallory placed 42nd at 25:52.66, Jazmynn Kennebeck placed 58th at 26:41.85, and Shelby White placed 72nd at 28:22.45.

“We were hoping to finish a little higher on the women’s side, but we faced great competition that is regionally ranked,” Pincock said. “Our ladies stepped up and ran the best they could. The top 10 finishes by Brandi and Laura led the way, and a strong showing from the rest of the team supported them. I know the girls are very proud of what they accomplished today and excited for future races. Today was a building block, and I think the women’s team will go to the regional championship with more confidence.”

On the men’s side, Garvin Chilton led the Lions with a 16th place finish at 27:28.85 on the 10-kilometer course. Evan Luecke placed 21st at 28:02.89 and LSC All-Academic selection Trevor Montgomery placed 24th at 28:28.19 to give the Lions three runners in the top 25.

Right behind that group was Tate McMillan in 26th place at 28:34.88 and Mason Boswell in 28th place at 28:45.99. Alexis Martinez placed 53rd at 30:15.31 and Daniel Montiel placed 74th at 34:05.37.

“The men ran incredibly well, and it was a big step in the right direction,” Pincock noted. “Garvin Chilton put together a great race and finished one spot outside of being all-conference. The rest of our top five packed up nice and helped secured the fourth-place finish.”

West Texas A&M won the men’s meet with 23 points, and Tarleton State won the women’s competition with 53 points.

The Lions will now head to the NCAA Division II South Central Regional meet on November 4 at West Texas A&M University. It serves as the qualifying meet for the NCAA Division II National meet.