STEPHENVILLE, Texas – The Angelo State volleyball team was eliminated from the Lone Star Championship Tournament by Texas Woman's (22-25, 23-25, 26-24, 19-25) on Thursday afternoon.

With the loss the Belles slide to 21-9 overall and will await its NCAA post season fate. Brianna Sotello (20), Anna Graham (13) and Bailey Drum (10) all led the scoring for ASU. While Bailey Mulder (11), Eadara Files (10), and Sotello (10) headed the defensive efforts. This allowed Sotello to mark her 16^th double-double of the season. Sophomore, Meghan Parker, headed the team's distribution efforts with 42 assists on the day. With the win, the Pioneers advance to the semifinals round of the tournament.

"It was a disappointing outcome to a match that could have solidified our spot at the regional," said ASU Head Coach Chuck Waddington. "I'm disappointed in our team and wish we could have competed at a higher level. So now we sit and hope. It is what it is and we cannot change it. We will be in the gym until know we can't be in the gym anymore."  

TWU would open up the match taking an early 16-9 lead. A Pioneer service error would start the Belles on a 7-1 run that would close the gap to a single point with 17-16 on the board. The run would see big swings from Graham and Drum as well as a timely block from Sotello and Graham. ASU would continue to thwart TWUs attempts to pull back away and would bring the score to an even 21. However, the Pioneers would close out the set and take the 1-0 lead.

Angelo State would come out swinging to open the second set with Parker dropping in a kill followed by an ace. TWU quickly rallied back to tie the set at 4, before a Graham kill got the Belles back on track. Drum would follow with a block, a kill and an ace to give the Belles back a four-point cushion with 9-5 on the board. Angelo State continued to maintain its lead over the Pioneers, until a 9-3 Pioneer turn the lead over. Tied at 22, TWU dropped in four points to take the 2-0 set lead.

In the third set Sotello placed the Belles on the board first, but TWU quickly answered taking an 8-3 lead. A Drum kill then kicked off six straight points for the Belles, which placed them back on top, 9-8. Angelo State would hold the lead until TWU brought the set back to even at 24-24. Two consecutive Graham kills then gave ASU the set win to avoid the sweep.

Continuing the momentum, the Belles hopped out to an early 3-1 lead in the fourth set, but the Pioneers would work its way back into the mix. The lead would exchange hands three more times before TWU took over for the final time. Texas Woman's then closed out the set to secure the advancement to the semifinal round. Angelo State will now await the NCAA regional selection show on Monday night to reveal its post season fate.