The MSU volleyball team took on the Tarleton State TexAnns Saturday afternoon. The game took place at the MSU home court for Family Day.
Sadly, the Mustangs suffered another loss as TSU took them down, 3-2. 25-18, 14-25, 14-25, 27-25, 15-10.
The loss brought MSU down 6-6 on the season and 2-5 in Lone Star Conference play.
The Mustangs were superb offensively in winning the second and third sets.
Head Volleyball Coach Venera Flores-Stafford commented on the players’ effort.
“The team fought hard and really translated what we worked on during the week,” said Flores-Stafford.
The Mustangs didn’t go without a fight however.
In the second and third sets, MSU handled attacks very well, putting down nine kills to just a single error in the second set.
MSU then recorded 11 kills to one error in the third set.
In the opening of the fourth set, Sophomore Caitlin Wallace brought the Mustangs to a near match point after laying down her ninth kill.
Wallace’s kill gave MSU the edge of 24-23.
The TexAnns didn’t sweat it though when Wallace was called for going over the net to deflect her opponent’s spike, evening the score at 24-24.
Tarleton soon took three extra points, winning the set.
“I couldn’t have asked for a harder effort,” Flores-Stafford said.
“They came out there and laid it out on the court,” she added.
Wallace ended the game with 14 kills, while Senior Miranda Byrd notched in 11.
The TexAnns were relieved when Wallace was whistled for coming over the net to block Jessie Hartman’s set.
Hartman’s set would have made the score even at 24-24.
Senior Kiara Jordan led the back row with 40 digs, while Senior Hillary White took 20.
Overall, Wallace had the most points with 15.5 while Byrd scored 12.5.
TSU’s Flynn Harrell generated 20.5 points which was more than any players scored.
Midwestern State will participate in the Pittsburg State Classic this weekend in Pittsburg, Kansas.
The Mustangs are set to play Northwest Missouri State University and Newman University on Friday, then St. Mary’s (Texas) and Missouri Southern on Sunday.