Lions fall to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 3-0

COMMERCE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team hosted Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at the Field House on Saturday afternoon. In three sets, the Lions fell to the Islanders with set scores of 25-23, 25-20, and 25-16. The Islanders, winners of the last two Southland Conference tournament champions, move forward with a 4-1 conference record and 4-15 overall record, while the Lions now have a 2-3 record in conference and a 5-13 record overall. 

With a 6-1 run, the Islanders kicked off the first set, forcing an early Lion timeout. To reciprocate, the Lions chipped away with Yasmin Figuieredo (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), landing back-to-back blocks and a kill to tie the set at 7-7. With nine draws and four lead changes, neither team could pull away until a kill by Morgan Baese put the Islanders in position to secure the set win, 25-23. 

Essence Allen (Longview- Tatum) started things off for the Lions with a kill as they took the first four points of the second set. However, the Islanders pushed back to tie the match twice before taking the lead. With their lead never above five points, the Islanders took the second set, 25-20. 

With a 4-0 run, the Islanders created some distance at the beginning of the third set. Then the Lions answered with a 4-1 run to tie the set 10-10. Responding with an 8-2 run, the Islanders took the lead and ensured the match win, 25-16. 

Leading the team with four blocks and a .429 attacking percentage with seven kills was Taryn Cast (Peaster). Maddy Rashford (Placentia, Calif.) put down seven kills as well. Celeste Vela (Guadalajara, Mexico) recorded 27 assists for the Lions, while Lyric Hebert (Arvada, Colo.) bagged nine digs.

UP NEXT

The Lions are on the road for their next three matches. A&M-Commerce is next in action on Thursday at New Orleans at 6:30 pm and Nicholls next Saturday at 11:00 am. Then, on October 11, the Lions will renew their rivalry against Tarleton in Stephenville.

 

Lions blank Islanders to move into second place.

COMMERCE – Four goals in front of a packed Lion Soccer Field secured the first shutout of the season for the Texas A&M University-Commerce soccer team, winning 4-0 over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Friday evening. 

The Lions secured three points in the standings with the win and sat at 3-2 in Southland Conference play, which puts them in a tie with the Islanders for second place in the standings. With the two teams playing just once this season, A&M-Commerce now owns the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Lions are 3-6-1 overall, while Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is 6-4. 

Mindy Shoffit (Wichita Falls – Rider) opened the scoring in the sixth minute on an assist from Kaitlyn Valaitis (Rowlett – Sachse). The Islanders deflected a corner kick by the Lions. Valaitis gained possession and passed to Shoffit, who cleared it to the top left from about 13-yards out. 

The Lions added their second-night goal in the 40th minute, with Ashley Campuzano (Dallas – Atlas Prep) scoring the first goal of her career, assisted by Karalie Morrison (Colleyville Heritage). Campuzano struck the ball 10 yards out, going into the bottom left of the goal. 

The second half began with a goal from Mya Mitchell (Mesquite Horn), her fifth straight match scoring a goal on an assist from Christina Hernandez (Denison). The Lions had multiple shots at an empty net until Mitchell put the ball through the posts. She has six goals and 14 points in a conference match this season, which are the bests in the SLC. 

Valerie Flores (Irving – MacArthur) tallied the first goal of her freshman campaign in the 80th minute with Mitchell assisting on the goal, who crossed into the box, and Flores sailed it through. 

A&M-Commerce outshot Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 20-15, with Jen Peters (Allen) stopping all five shots she faced. Morgan Wesbury had four shots for the Islanders, while Mitchell had five and Valaitis had four for the Lions. 

Kennedy Sterling started the match in goal for the Islanders and recorded four saves.

UP NEXT

The Lions look to continue the momentum on Sunday at Nicholls at noon. The Colonels are looking for their first conference win since 2018.

Lion cross-country teams compete at Chile Pepper Festival.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Texas A&M University-Commerce cross country teams went up against some of the most elite competitors in the country at the Chile Pepper Festival on Friday afternoon at Agri Park. 

MEN

Competing in the McDonnell Memorial 8-kilometer race against some of the top Division I programs in the country, the Lion men placed 29th among 33 teams. The Lions’ top finisher was Alex Speer (Robinson) again, timing 25:08.5 to place 76th. Tanner Townsend (Royse City) clocked in a time of 25:37.3, and Casey Novelo (Burleson – Trinity) had a time of 25:58.7. 

Nicholas Deutsch (Frisco) recorded a time of 26:17.5, Ace Garcia (Burleson) finished just behind Deustsch with a time of 26:57.7, while Chris Flores (Rocksprings) touched the finish line 0.3 seconds after Garcia, timing 26:58. Mason White (Argyle) posted a time of 27:17.2, Joshua Schutter (Rowlett – Sachse) had a time of 27:39.6, Tristen Sabin (Frisco – Independence) timed 28:24.8, and Yosef Abdulrazeq (Mansfield Legacy) timed 28:44.1. 

Arkansas ran away with the team championship, finishing with 61 points, 88 points better than the runner-up, Colby Community College, who had the individual champion. Sanele Masondo won the race with a time of 23:18.4. 

WOMEN

The Lion women competing in the 5-kilometer open race faced off against primarily NCAA Division II and NJCAA schools and elite Division I schools, finishing 19th out of 34 teams. Faith Biwott finished 63rd with a time of 19:58, followed by Alondra Campa (Kaufman), placing 68th with a time of 20:07. 

Bailey Neal (Sulphur Bluff) timed 20:43.6 to place 102nd, and Nour Almasri (Mansfield Summit) clocked in at 21:33.2 to place 130th. Evelyn Brown (Paris) timed 21:50.4, and Elizabeth Ibarra timed 22:39.3. 

Missouri S&T won the race as a team with a score of 155 points, five ahead of St. Edward’s. Colby Community College’s Emily Diercks finished first with a time of 17:17.1.

 

UP NEXT

The Lions have just one more race on the schedule before the Southland Conference Championships, and it comes in College Station on October 15 at the Arturo Barrios Invitational.