11/8/2019 | Women’s Volleyball | Box Score
PORTALES, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico started off their final home stand of the 2019 season with a 3-2 loss at the hands of UT Tyler on Friday night inside Greyhound Arena.
The Hounds were unable to capitalize on two dominant first sets and saw UT Tyler storm back to win three straight sets to post their fifth victory in Lone Star Conference play on the season. Eastern New Mexico had a chance at the match-winning point in the fifth and final set, but couldn’t close out the first of two home matches for the weekend as the Patriots rattled off three straight points to win the set and the match.
Eastern New Mexico posted team hitting percentages of .355 and .212 in the first two sets, jumping out to early advantages in each set and never looked back. The Hounds led by as many as nine points at the 17-8 mark of the first quarter and used two kills by freshman Gracelyn Stubbs to string together five straight points to win the first set 25-13.
Stubbs continued her quality finish to the 2019 season, leading the squad with 14.5 points scored after serving as one of three Hounds to record double-digit kill totals. Junior Jasmine Gannon and Sarah Tuioti-Mariner both recorded double-doubles with 13 kills apiece and 12 and 14 digs respectively.
Eastern strung together another crucial run in the second set of seven points after falling behind 11-10 and used that 16-11 advantage to survive a late rally by the Patriots to take set number two by a 25-22 final. The momentum for the Greyhounds would come to an end following that second set victory as UT Tyler was able to secure wins in the third and fourth set to force a fifth set.
The Hounds responded after falling behind 5-3 to open the set and had two separate chances to secure the match point after jumping ahead 14-13 and 15-14 late in the set. UT Tyler finally broke away in the hotly contested final set with three straight points to take the frame by a 17-15 final.
Freshman Qitana Sapiga posted 22 assists and 10 digs to join Tuioti-Mariner and Gannon with a double-double on the evening. Seniors Christelle Kialanda and Lauryn Bresnahan supported the combination of Gannon and Stubbs with eight and seven kills on the evening in the first match of their final home weekend as Greyhounds.
Eastern New Mexico volleyball will recognize seniors Sarah Tuioti-Mariner, Lauryn Bresnahan, Christelle Kialanda and junior Julie Tucker as they play their final home contest of their careers tomorrow afternoon beginning at noon.
