SAN ANTONIO, Texas — St. Mary's (TX) edged out Midwestern St. in a tightly contested five-set match on Saturday at Bill Greehey Arena, taking the victory 22-25, 25-21, 17-25, 25-20, 15-13.
St. Mary's (TX) (6-9, 3-2 Lone Star) overcame an early deficit, while Midwestern St. (9-3, 3-1 Lone Star) recorded a match-high 92 digs in the encounter.
Midwestern State opened the first set strong against St. Mary's (TX), with
Demi Stauffenberg and
Alayna Guerrero setting the pace early. A service ace by
Aissa Villarreal contributed to an early advantage. The Mustangs maintained momentum with Guerrero facilitating multiple kills, including several by
Trinity Vinzant and
Arrianna Fields, keeping the score tight through 15-15.
As the set progressed, Midwestern State extended their lead with key contributions from Vinzant, who recorded multiple kills during a critical stretch. A service ace by Vinzant helped the Mustangs pull ahead to a 21-15 lead. Although St. Mary's rallied late, the Mustangs held firm, with
Isabella Dickens and Guerrero securing the final points to close the set at 25-22 in favor of Midwestern State.
The second set began with St. Mary's (TX) capitalizing on early miscues from Midwestern St., taking a swift 3-0 lead. MSU responded with a kill from Stauffenberg, but St. Mary's continued to apply pressure, reaching a 7-2 advantage. Vinzant and Fields contributed with key kills, sparking a rally that brought MSU within two points at 9-7. The Mustangs managed to level the score at 10-10 through a combination of opponent errors and decisive blocks by Dickens and Stauffenberg.
As the set progressed, MSU briefly took the lead at 11-10 with a kill from Guerrero, but St. Mary's regained momentum and pushed ahead. Despite another strong effort from MSU, including notable kills by Vinzant and Fields, St. Mary's maintained control. A late push by MSU, highlighted by kills from Dickens and Stauffenberg, narrowed the gap but was not enough to overcome St. Mary's. The set concluded with St. Mary's securing a 25-21 victory.
In the third set, the Mustangs surged ahead with a strong start, marked by a series of decisive kills from
Jaiden Wright and Stauffenberg, as well as a service ace by
Giselle Cazares, establishing an early lead at 11-3. Guerrero facilitated the attack with consistent assists, allowing the visitors to maintain momentum despite occasional points from St. Mary's (TX).
As St. Mary's attempted to close the gap, the Mustangs continued to extend their lead through key plays by Dickens and Fields. The set concluded with the Mustangs capitalizing on a service error from St. Mary's to secure a 25-17 victory, reinforcing their command in the match.
In the fourth set, the Mustangs began with a service error, allowing St. Mary's to take an initial lead. Vinzant quickly leveled the score with a kill assisted by Guerrero. Despite this equalizer, St. Mary's responded with a series of points, including a service ace and multiple kills from Tara Creekmore, extending their advantage.
MSU found some momentum with Fields and Stauffenberg contributing kills to close the gap. A subsequent run, bolstered by contributions from Fields, Dickens, and blocks from Fields and Dickens, narrowed the margin to 18-15. However, St. Mary's regained control with a string of plays, pushing the lead further.
In the closing moments, the Mustangs capitalized on several attack errors by St. Mary's to reach 20 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit. St. Mary's secured the set 25-20, extending the match.
The fifth set began with the Mustangs gaining early momentum through a kill by Fields, assisted by Guerrero, to take a 1-0 lead. St. Mary's (TX) responded with a series of points, but the Mustangs quickly evened the score at 3-3 with consecutive kills from Fields.
The Mustangs then went on a significant run, breaking a 5-5 tie with a four-point streak, including a kill by Stauffenberg and a couple of opponent errors, to move ahead 8-5. St. Mary's narrowed the gap, but the Mustangs maintained a slim advantage at 11-9, following a key kill from Vinzant.
Despite a late surge by St. Mary's, who took a narrow lead at 13-12, the Mustangs kept the set tight with another kill from Fields. However, St. Mary's managed to close out the period with a final point on an attack error by Fields, concluding the decisive set at 15-13 in favor of St. Mary's (TX).
Vinzant recorded 16 digs and contributed 17.5 points, showcasing her all-around impact for the Maroon & Gold. Fields led the team with 18 kills, finishing with 18.5 points. Guerrero provided a strong playmaking presence, delivering 56 assists and adding 24 digs. Stauffenberg posted 14 kills and tallied 15.5 points, adding depth to the offensive effort.
In their next game, the Mustangs will travel to face West Texas A&M on October 7. The match is set to take place at 6 p.m. at the WTAMU Fieldhouse "The Box."
