KINGSVILLE, Texas — Texas A&M-Kingsville (14-6, 6-4 Lone Star) defeated Midwestern State (13-6, 6-4 Lone Star) in four sets on Friday night at Steinke Center, winning the match 25-18, 12-25, 25-11, 25-16. The Mustangs recorded 14 blocks in the effort, but it was not enough to overcome the Javelinas' nine service aces.

Midwestern State began the first set with a strong start, securing an early 2-0 lead following attack errors from Texas A&M-Kingsville's Rylie Barnett, and a kill by Trinity Vinzant. Alayna Guerrero played a key role, assisting on multiple points, including a decisive block with Jaiden Wright that brought the score to 5-4 in favor of the Maroon & Gold. Despite the early momentum, the Lady Javelinas regrouped, tying and then overtaking the lead at 6-5 with kills from Madelyn Wallace and Kerigan Baumgartner. The Mustangs rallied back with a series of points, including a kill by Isabella Dickens and a block by Vinzant, narrowing the gap to 16-15. However, the Javelinas responded strongly, extending their lead to 25-18 to close the first set.

MSU began the second set by establishing early momentum with a 3-0 lead, highlighted by a block from Dickens and Guerrero, followed by kills from Dickens and Vinzant. The team extended the lead to 8-2 with a series of errors forced on the Javelinas and continued contributions from Guerrero, who played a pivotal role in both attack and setting. As the set progressed, the Mustangs maintained control, with Arrianna Fields and Wright contributing to defensive stops and offensive plays. The lead widened to 14-5, fueled by effective attacks from Fields and Vinzant. Despite brief responses from the Javelinas, the Mustangs' consistent play allowed them to close the set decisively at 25-12, maintaining a substantial lead throughout.

The third set began with a substantial momentum shift as Texas A&M-Kingsville's service pressure led to an early 9-1 lead. The Maroon & Gold responded with a kill by Dickens, assisted by Guerrero, momentarily halting the run. A brief rally saw Wright and Fields contribute with kills to narrow the gap slightly to 9-3. Despite these efforts, the Javelinas maintained control, capitalizing on several attack errors from MSU, and extending their advantage. Late in the set, the Mustangs showed resilience with a service ace from Jenna Redding and a block by Demi Stauffenberg and Dickens, bringing the score to 18-9. Ultimately, the Javelinas closed the set with a 25-11 victory.

Midwestern State opened the fourth set with a service error by Texas A&M-Kingsville, allowing Stauffenberg to tie the score at 2-2 with a kill set up by Vinzant. Although a brief exchange of errors and kills kept the score close, the Javelinas built momentum, taking an 8-4 lead with a service ace and a series of kills. The Mustangs responded with Dickens and Vinzant contributing kills, narrowing the gap to 11-8. However, the Javelinas extended their lead to 15-10 through a combination of kills and errors from MSU. Despite efforts from Fields and Stauffenberg to keep the scoreline competitive, the Javelinas maintained control. As the set progressed, the Javelinas reached match point at 24-14, but Midwestern St. held off with a block by Vinzant and Wright, followed by an attack error from the opponent. The set concluded with the Javelinas capturing a 25-16 victory, sealing the match win.

Vinzant led the Maroon & Gold with 15.5 points, including 13 kills and four total blocks over four sets. Redding recorded 18 digs, contributing significantly to the team's defensive efforts. Guerrero facilitated the offense with 32 assists while adding a service ace. Dickens added 11 kills and four blocks, finishing with 13.5 points.

Looking ahead, MSU will visit Texas A&M International on Saturday. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the TAMIU Kinesiology and Convocation Building.