The Eastern New Mexico volleyball team was unable to overcome 2-0 deficits in both matches on the first day of the 2018 BritKare Lady Buff Classic in Canyon, Texas.
The Hounds dropped both contests to Emporia State and Adams State by finals of 3-2, dropping the fifth set in each by a score of 15-11. Sophomore Jasmine Gannon led the way with 21 kills in the morning match against Emporia State, and then followed up that performance with 15 kills against Adams State in the afternoon to finish the day with 36 kills.
Eastern opened up the season with a closely contested 26-24 first set in the opening match of the tournament that saw Emporia State score the final four points of the opening frame. After dropping the next set by a score of 25-20 to fall behind 2-0 in the match, the Hounds came back with vengeance and defeated the Hornets by a score of 25-14 in the third set.
The Hounds continued to build on the momentum generated in the third set and opened up a 9-3 lead in the fourth set. Emporia brought the deficit back down to 12-9 before an 8-0 run by Eastern broke the set open at 20-9.
Gannon put down three kills throughout the 8-0 run while senior Kaitlyn Kluna scored two of the team’s 10 service aces for the match during the onslaught of points.
Eastern closed out the fourth set with a 25-14 victory and opened up a 5-2 lead moving into the fifth and final set, but saw their attempt at a comeback cut short thanks to an 8-3 run in favor of Emporia. A kill from Gannon kept the final set tight at the 12-10 point mark, but Emporia eventually secured the third points they needed to survive the comeback from Eastern.
Head coach Sia Poyer and his team once again got off to a slow start in the afternoon match-up with Adams State, following behind 2-0 in the match after 25-21 and 25-19 set victories for the Grizzlies. A 6-1 run following the 7-6 point mark of the third set finally gave Eastern some momentum in the second match of the day.
The Hounds secured their second consecutive third set victory by a final total of 25-18 and then proceeded to force their second five set match of the day by scoring four of the final five points in the fourth set to claim a 25-23 victory.
A 15-11 fifth set defeat would once again be the fate for the Hounds as they will have to wait till tomorrow morning to secure their first victory of the 2018 season. Junior Sarah Tuoiti-Mariner totaled 18 kills on 47 total attempts in the afternoon match to post an attack percentage of .234.
Senior Alba Ontiveros recorded more than 20 digs in both matches while Kluna totaled six aces and 54 assists on the day. Sophomore Julie Tucker totaled 19 kills throughout the two matches and posted attack percentages of .308 and .412.
The Greyhounds will once again compete in doubleheader action tomorrow with games scheduled for 8 a.m. against Lubbock Christian and 2:30 p.m. against No. 10 Rockhurst.
