KINGSVILLE, Texas — Midwestern State (6-2, 0-0 Lone Star) edged Tex. A&M-Kingsville (8-2, 0-0 Lone Star) in a tense five-set match at the Steinke Center on Saturday, securing a 17-25, 17-25, 25-23, 25-16, 15-9 victory.
The first set began with Texas A&M-Kingsville taking an early 2-0 lead, but Midwestern State quickly responded with a kill by
Trinity Vinzant to stay in the contest. Despite a tightly contested back-and-forth stretch that saw the score tied at 8-8 following another Vinzant kill, the Lady Javelinas managed to pull away, capitalizing on a series of attack errors to build a 15-10 advantage. Vinzant's performance remained a highlight for the Mustangs, contributing several key points, but the set concluded with Texas A&M-Kingsville securing a 25-17 victory after an error by
Alayna Guerrero.
The second set began with the Maroon & Gold taking an early lead as
Isabella Dickens secured the first point with a kill from Vinzant's setup. However, TAMUK responded with a series of strong plays, including a 5-0 scoring run that propelled them into the lead at 9-4. MSU made a compelling effort to close the gap, highlighted by a service ace from Vinzant and a block by Dickens and
Arrianna Fields, which tied the score at 12-12. Despite these efforts, the Lady Javelinas capitalized on a sequence of attack errors by the Mustangs, ultimately securing a 25-17 win in the set.
Midwestern State seized momentum early in the third set with an opening point off a service error by Texas A&M-Kingsville's Elisa Carli. The set remained tightly contested with both teams frequently trading points, highlighted by a service ace from
Demi Stauffenberg and a kill by Vinzant at 17-16. Guerrero played a pivotal role, contributing multiple assists, including the final one to Dickens for the set-winning kill, as the Mustangs clinched the set 25-23.
The Mustangs surged in the fourth set with decisive play, overcoming an early deficit to seal a 25-16 victory.
Jenna Redding and Guerrero orchestrated the offense, with Dickens and Vinzant each contributing crucial kills to knot the score at 7-7. A pivotal service ace from
Giselle Cazares and a series of effective kills from Stauffenberg helped MSU pull away, closing the set with a resilient 5-1 run.
The final set began with MSU securing an early edge, as
Jaiden Wright delivered a kill off an assist from Guerrero. The Maroon & Gold capitalized on a series of errors from the Lady Javelinas and a strong offensive push, including a service ace by Redding, to stretch their lead to 6-1. Vinzant and Dickens each contributed key points, while Guerrero's distribution played a pivotal role in maintaining momentum. Despite a late push from TAMUK, the Mustangs held firm, clinching the set 15-9 and securing the match victory. This comeback from a 2-0 deficit marks the first time Midwestern State has achieved such a feat since their match against Arkansas Tech on September 11, 2021.
Vinzant recorded 13 kills across five sets, contributing a total of 16 points to the team's effort. Dickens led the team in points with 17.5, adding 16 kills and two blocks over the same span. Guerrero facilitated the offense with 37 assists, while also adding one service ace. Cazares contributed defensively with 17 digs, further strengthening the team's backcourt presence.
Looking ahead, MSU will host Western New Mexico at D.L. Ligon Coliseum to start conference play. The match is set for 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 26.
