COMMERCE, Texas – The No. 10 Angelo State volleyball downed Texas A&M – Commerce on the road in four sets (25-17, 13-25, 25-22, 25-22) to stretch its winning streak to seven matches on Saturday afternoon.
With Saturday afternoon's win, the Belles moved to 20-2, 11-1 LSC on the season. The ASU defense came up with 13 total blocks, while the offense averaged 12.75 kills per set to hold the Lions at bay. TAMUC fell to 13-11 overall and 7-6 in the LSC with the loss.
For the second consecutive match Brianna Sotello led the ASU attack against the opposition. The junior fired in a team high 15 kills and an ace on offense. Her 10 digs on defense earned the outside hitter her second straight and team high ninth overall double-double for 2016.
"Brianna [Sotello] had a great weekend for us," commented ASU Head Coach Chuck Waddington." She was really steady both offensively and defensively. She took some clutch swings for us late in the third and fourth sets."
Mallory Blauser and Morgan Seaton also played major roles in the offenses production against TAMUC. Blauser tallied a team second 13 kills for her 19th match with double –digit kills. The senior also donated a team second five blocks to the Belles defensive efforts. Seaton was third on the squad with 12 kills for the match. Defensively, she led ASU with six total blocks. This was her third straight match with multiple blocks.
"Morgan [Seaton] was really key in opening up opportunities for our pin attackers," added Waddington. "[Texas A&M – Commerce] had a really tough time stopping her today."
Anchoring the defense for the Belles was Mallory Davidson, Tulani Titley and Jenna Markey. Davidson turned in a team high 16 dig performance for the match. This marked the sophomore's fifth consecutive match recording double-figure digs from the libero position. Titley was second on the team as she added five total blocks to her numbers for the season. The freshman also aided the attack with five kills. Markey came through with a couple of blocks for ASU that helped to hold off the TAMUC attack.
"Inserting Jenna [Markey] into the lineup to block late in the third and fourth sets was a big key for us," said Waddington. "She had a few key stuff blocks that totally changed the complex of the match. I am really proud of her being ready to make a difference when we needed it the most."
Meghan Parker distributed for the Belles, tallying 38 assists for the day. Her 859 total assists on the season place the freshman only 58 assists away from breaking into the ASU record book. She added a team most two aces to her number for the day and continues to lead the team in that category with 29 total aces.
The Belles kicked off the first set of the match jumping out to an early 4-1 lead. The lions would pull back to within one (5-4) before Titley would rocket in a kill that started an 8-2 run for ASU. The run which also saw big hits from Blauser, Sotello and Parker stretched the score to a sizable 11-5 led for the Belles. ASU would continue to add to its lead as Abbie Lynn drove on in to make it 18-11. This was followed by a pair of blocks from Parker and Titley as well as a Titley kill that would take the score to 21-11. The lions would close the gap, but with 24-17 on the board Blauser would shut the door on the rally and the set for the Belles.
Despite taking another early lead in the second set, ASU would relinquish the lead to the lions. Tied at six, TAMUC embarked on a lengthy 11-0 run that would be irrecoverable by the Belles. ASU would give up the set to the Lions, 25-13 and the two teams would enter the break tied at one set a piece.
In the third set, the Belles came out with the pedal to the metal as it took an early 7-2 lead over TAMUC. However, the Lions would battle back and chip away at the Belles lead until the game was tied at 22. A TAMUC attack error followed by a Seaton/Blauser block and a Parker ace would give ASU the points it needed to regain the match lead, 2-1.
Both teams came out swinging in the final set, with the lead changing three times early in the set. Tied at five, kills from Sotello and Blauser, along with a block from Markey and Titley regained the lead for Angelo State. This would be the final lead change of the match as the Belles would hold on for the remainder. As in the previous set, Texas A&M – Commerce would rally late closing the ASU lead to just a single point at 23-22. However, a Lions service error would kill the rally and Blauser would close out the match and give the Belles its 20th victory of the season.
Angelo State has a short turn around as it will host Tarleton State in the Stephens Arena at the Junell Center on Wednesday, October 26 at 7 p.m.
