WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State managed to stay close in all three sets, but No. 14-ranked West Texas A&M swept the Mustangs at D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Friday night, 20-25, 18-25, 25-27.
Kelli Ell had 11 kills and two blocks for the Mustangs. Torrey Miller led the way for the Lady Buffs with 11 kills and three blocks.
Midwestern State outhit West Texas in the opening set with 15 kills and eight errors on 46 attacks for a hitting average of .152. WT had eight kills with three errors on 40 swings to finish the first set with a .125 attack average. But the Lady Buffs had six service aces and established an early five-point lead. MSU managed to get within three points down the stretch and trailed 23-20 before Kayla Elliott recorded her first of eight kills, and Abi Nash closed out the frame with an ace.
Ell had two early kills in the second, and MSU jumped out to a 5-2 lead in a set that featured 10 ties and three lead changes. West Texas A&M won the final seven points to claim a 2-0 lead in the match.
There were nine ties and two lead changes in the tightly contested third set. MSU overcame an early three-point deficit and took a 14-11 lead as freshman
Arrianna Fields recorded her first of four kills in the set. Midwestern went up 22-19 on a double block by Ell and
Aaliyah Burras. The Lady Buffs won eight of the next 11 points and closed out the match with kills from Elliott and Nash.
Fields finished with a season-high seven kills and four digs in the match.
Taygon Jones led the Mustangs with 24 digs, while
Autumn Roach and
Regan Willms each had 18 assists for the Mustangs.
West Texas A&M has won 16 consecutive sets and extended its winning streak to seven matches. The Lady Buffs are 14-4 overall and 7-0 in conference play. The Lady Buffs are now 40-1 all-time against MSU, including a 15-1 record at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
Midwestern State suffered its sixth consecutive defeat and fell to 3-16. The Mustangs are 1-6 in the LSC and will host Cameron (5-16, 0-7) at noon on Saturday.
The Aggies have lost 12 straight matches.
--MSU Mustangs.com--
