box score
The Texas-Permian Basin volleyball team cruised to a 25-14 first-set win, but dropped two of the next three in extra play as Arkansas-Fort Smith took a 3-1 (14-25, 25-18, 26-24, 27-25) win over the Falcons in non conference action. Arkansas-Fort Smith, who is a provisional member of the Heartland Conference and will be a full member next year, improved to 13-9 on the year, while UTPB dropped to 8-14.
In the first set, the Falcons jumped out to a 10-3 lead with all but one point coming via the kill. They would keep at least a six point lead the rest of the way and at one point led 22-10 after an attack error by the Lions. Another hitting miscue by the Lions, the tenth of the set, eventually gave UTPB a 1-0 overall match lead. The Lions hit -.103 for the set, collecting seven kills while committing 10 errors. The Falcons on the other had were a polar opposite with 10 kills with just three errors in 29 total attacks.
The Lions jumped out to a 5-1 second set lead and never lost the lead the rest of the way. UTPB did tie the game at eight on a kill by Jamie Rodell, but Fort Smith used a 7-0 run to take control of the set 15-8. The Falcons were nearly as efficient in the second set as the first with 12 kills and just four errors, but the Lions countered with 15 kills and three errors in the win.
With the match tied at one game each, the third set saw both teams go back and forth. With the game tied at eight after a kill by the Lions, the Falcons used a 6-1 run to lead 14-9. Both teams would exchange points until Fort Smith tied it at 20 on a kill by Jettie Stec, who finished with a match-high 16. UTPB eventually led 24-23 but an error by the Falcons and two kills for Forth Smith gave the Lions the win.
Set four was a mirror image of the third with both teams exchanging points and neither taking control of the game. UTPB did lead 12-7, its largest of the set, on an attack error by Fort Smith, but the Lions would eventually take a 14-13 lead on back-to-back kills. A kill by Terra Peil tied the set at 16 before an attack error by Fort Smith tied the game at 24. Alex Genung made it 25 each on a kill, but a team delay by the Falcons gave the Lions a free point to lead 26-25. An attack error by UTPB gave the Lions the third and deciding victory.
UTPB had three players with 10-or-more kills with Genung leading the way with 14, while Peil and Rodell adding 13 and 11 respectively.
Melissa Lusk was a force at the net defensively once again for the Falcons with five block assists with Rodell adding four of her own.
The falcons will head to Abilene on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. match with the Wildcats which starts three-straight road matches. UTPB will return to the Falcon Dome on Tuesday, Oct. 19 with a home date against Abilene Christian at 7 p.m.
