box score

FORT SMITH, Ark. – Melissa Lusk registered a team-high 10 kills with just two errors, but Arkansas-Fort Smith countered with 52 total kills en route to a 3-1 (25-20, 25-23, 21-25, 25-13) win over the University of Texas of the Permian Basin.

The Falcons had 35 kills as a team, but made 27 hitting errors as well as four service errors as they ended their season with a 10-21 overall record.

Arkansas-Fort Smith opened the first set with a 6-0 lead, but the Falcons battled back to tie it at seven on a kill by Sara Torres. The set would be tied four more times until UTPB took the first lead of the frame when Torres recorded a service ace, giving the Falcons a 13-12 advantage. The lead wouldn't last long as UAFS scored three-straight points to go up 15-13, a lead it would not relinquish. The Lions would end the set on a 4-0 run to ruin any chance of a Falcon comeback.

The second set started much like the first, but it was UTPB that jumped out to a 5-0 lead. The Falcons would eventually lead 10-3, but the Lions slowly crept their way back into the set. A kill by Antonia Jones brought them within five (14-9), but a 7-0 run later in the set by UAFS eventually gave it a 20-19 lead after a kill by Megan Doherty. The Falcons would take a 21-20 lead after back-to-back bad sets by the Lions, but UAFS would roar back to score five of the set's remaining seven points to lead the overall match 2-0.

The Falcons never trailed in the third set after they jumped out to a 5-1 lead. They would eventually lead 17-9 after another Torres service ace, but like the second set, the Lions made it interesting as they pulled within two (21-19) after a kill by Katybeth Carlson. They would come no closer the rest of the way.

A service error by UAFS gave the Falcons a 6-5 lead in the fourth set, but the Lions would go on a 20-7 run the rest of the way to finish off UTPB

The Lions finished the season with a 19-13 record and will be full members of the Heartland Conference next season. UAFS competed in the Heartland as a provisional member this season as it played everyone in the conference two times as they would if they were a full member.