FORT SMITH, Ark. – University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Volleyball dropped a hard-fought, five-set match to Midwestern State Tuesday night at the Stubblefield Center, falling 16-25, 25-18, 20-25, 8-15 to the Mustangs.
All three matches between UAFS and MSU this season have gone five sets.
The Lady Lions (7-2, 7-2 LSC) struggled with the serve on both sides of the net, allowing 10 aces and committing nine service errors.
Defensively, UAFS allowed its highest attack percentage of the season, as the Mustangs (9-5, 8-3 LSC) hit .183 on the evening. Both teams were active at the net, with MSU totaling 10 blocks and UAFS nine.
UAFS seemed to have taken the momentum of the match in the third set, going on a 7-0 run to turn a 15-9 deficit into a 16-15 lead. UAFS had trailed 12-4 earlier in the set, as well.
Midwestern State briefly retook the lead at 21-20 before freshman outside hitter Reagan Macha tallied a pair of kills to put the Lady Lions back out front. MSU nearly tied the set at 24, but a block by freshman middle blocker Chyra Thompson gave UAFS a 2-1 set lead.
UAFS led 9-8 and trailed 15-14 midway through set four, but a 4-0 run by the Mustangs extended their lead to 20-15. MSU added to their lead even more before forcing the match to a fifth set.
The Lady Lions raced out to a 3-0 and 4-1 lead, but the Mustangs answered with a 9-1 run. UAFS got back within 11-8, but the Mustangs scored the final four points of the set for the match win.
Macha led UAFS with 12 kills as the Lady Lions hit .135 as a team. Junior right-side hitter Faith Marabella added 11 kills.
Macha and sophomore right-side hitter Courtney Crownover each recorded double-doubles by each tallying 13 digs. Crownover would pass out 38 assists, a season high, to go with six kills.
Sophomore libero Lexy Lewis had a team-high 17 digs, while junior defensive specialist Jazzlyn Wells had 10.
At the net, Thompson totaled two solo blocks and three assisted blocks. Sophomore middle blocker Hannah Holland had two solo and two assisted blocks.
The Lady Lions and Mustangs will do battle once again tomorrow at 6 p.m. in the Stubblefield Center.
