UT Permian Basin volleyball (9-7, 4-4)rallied to claim a win in the fourth set to stretch Friday night's match to a fifth and final set, but #21 Texas A&M Commerce (13-4, 5-2) controlled the second half of the final set in taking a 25-22, 14-25, 22-25, 25-23, 9-15 win over UTPB in Odessa.

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Trailing 2-1, the Falcons ran out to a 9-3 lead early in the fourth with kills by Puava Tulau and Marissa Aguilar.

UTPB led by as many as seven points in the set after a block by Aquincia Strambler and a TAMUC attack error to go on top 15-8.

Texas A&M Commerce did all they could to pull back towards the end of the fourth, scoring four straight points to get within 23-20. A Strambler kill brought the Falcons to serving for match point at 24-20, but the Lions went on to win the next three points to trail 24-23. But a service error with a chance to tie the set gave the Falcons the 25-23 win to force the contest to a final set.

The Falcons started strong in the fifth, scoring four straight points with kills by Travana Matthews and Tulau, an ace by Linda Perez and a block by Matthews and Tulau to go ahead 6-4. A few points later Commerce started its comeback with four straight kills to claim a 9-7 lead. The Falcons were held to just two points in the final eight plays of the night as Texas A&M Commerce claimed the match with a 15-9 fifth set victory.

Matthews led the Falcons with nine kills on the night, hitting .217 on 23 attempts. Skyler Friel and Marissa Aguilar each tallied eight kills on the night, Friel hitting .333 on the night on 18 attacks.

Kiera Granado led the Falcons with 16 assists as they hit .168 as a team with 44 kills and 20 errors on 143 attempts. Sarah Vasquez led the Falcons with 15 digs.

Jaryn Wacker led a group of five Lions in double-digits in kills with 14 on the night. Celeste Vela had 26 assists for Commerce, and Savannah Rutledge had 20 digs for the Lions.

UTPB is back home Saturday afternoon, hosting Texas Woman's at 2:30 p.m. in Lone Star Conference action.