MAGNOLIA, Arkansas (September 15, 2017) - The Texas A&M International University Volleyball team opened play in the 2017 Dr. Margaret Downing Invitational on Friday. TAMIU defeated the University of Arkansas - Monticello 3-2 before falling to host, Southern Arkansas 0-3. TAMIU moves to 2-9 overall.
MATCH 1: TAMIU 3 - UAM 2 (25-15, 23-25, 12-25, 25-21, 15-13)
TAMIU would open the first match of the tournament with a dominant 25-15 win in the first set. The Dustdevils opened an early 9-1 lead in the set, never letting UAM within five points of a tie. TAMIU would ride the early lead to a 10-point win.
A back and forth second set saw the Dustdevils fall 23-25. A late four-point run from UAM would down TAMIU in the second set.
UAM would control play in the third set, taking a 2-1 lead in the match. Three runs accounted for 17 points for UAM, downing TAMIU 12-25.
The Dustdevils would come back to outscore UAM in the third set, evening the match at two sets a side, setting up a dramatic fifth set.
TAMIU would pull ahead 8-3 in the decisive fifth set, fending off a 5-1 run from UAM. The set would come even at 13 before TAMIU put up the final two points, and the match 3-2.
Leah McManus would pick up her first double-double of the season with 14 kills and 13 digs.
MATCH LEADERS:
| Kills |
Megan Unrath (16), Leah McManus (14), Panebi Shirey (8) |
| Aces |
Gabrielle Zamora (3), Alejandra Bustamante (2), Leah McManus (1) |
| Blocks |
Megan Unrath (2), Leah McManus (1), Panebi Shirey (1) |
| Assists |
Ronnie Fountain (33), Alejandra Bustamante (3), Lacy Asdourian (3) |
| Digs |
Lacy Asdourian (22), Leah McManus (13), Gabrielle Zamora (11) |
MATCH 2: TAMIU 0 - SAU 3 (11-25, 17-25, 19-25)
Just two weeks after facing Southern Arkansas at the South Central Classic, TAMIU would face off against the Muleriders in Magnolia.
SAU pulled ahead with an early 8-2 lead in the first set. TAMIU would bring the set within three but a seven point run allowed SAU to take the first set 25-11.
The Dustdevils and Muleriders would trade leads in the second set before a late run allowed SAU to go ahead by eight points. The late lead was too much to overcome as the Dustdevils fell behind 0-2 in the match.
Despite another close set, a pair of three-point runs in the third set allowed SAU to close the match with a 3-0 sweep.
MATCH LEADERS:
| Kills |
Leah McManus (6), Gabrielle Zamora (5), Megan Unrath (5) |
| Aces |
Gabrielle Zamora (3), Ronnie Fountain (2), Leah McManus (1) |
| Blocks |
Leah McManus (2), Megan Unrath (2), Panebi Shirey (1) |
| Assists |
Ronnie Fountain (20), Lacy Asdourian (2), Gabrielle Zamora (1) |
| Digs |
Gabrielle Zamora (9), Alejandra Bustamante (8), Lacy Asdourian (8) |
UP NEXT:
TAMIU closes play in the tournament on Saturday with two morning matches. The Dustdevils face Grambling State at 9 a.m. before taking on Mississippi College at 11 a.m.
STAY TUNED:
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