Tarleton State Defeats Zias in Five Games

STEPHENVILLE, TX – Tarleton State University overcame 19 service errors and a 2-1 deficit after three games to defeat Eastern New Mexico University, 3-2, in the Lone Star Conference opener for both teams, Sept. 12 in Stephenville, Texas. TSU won the match 24-30, 30-17, 18-30, 30-28, 15-7, to improve to 4-6 on the season, 1-0 in the LSC South. Eastern fell to 7-3, 0-1 in the LSC South.

The TexAnns partially offset their 19 service errors by recording 14 service aces, including seven aces by Mary Domine. TSU also accumulated 74 kills, compared to 48 kills by the Zias, who had 42 fewer attacks, due in part to the TexAnns’ all-or-nothing strategy when serving.

Lacey Adkisson paced the TexAnns on offense, with 26 kills and a .500 hitting percentage. She also recorded six digs and three block assists. Mendi Matus tacked on 15 kills, while Domine supplied 13 kills and 7 digs. Robyn Dillard added nine kills and six digs, while Lindsey Hillegass contributed 65 assists and eight digs.

For the Zias, senior middle blocker April Brockmann (Tempe, AZ/Chandler-Gilbert CC) recorded 11 kills to go with four digs and four block assists. Christabell Mariner (Sr., OH/MB, Pago Pago, American Samoa/Tafuna HS) was credited with 10 kills, six digs, five block assists and a team-high three service aces. Setter Margie Goble (Jr., San Antonio, TX/Holmes HS) supplied the Zias with 35 assists, eight kills and five digs.

Tarleton State hit .272 as a team, while limiting Eastern to a .224 attack percentage. The Zias connected for nine service aces and committed just five serving errors.

Poor attacking cost ENMU in the second and fourth games. The Zias finished the second game with a .000 hitting percentage (6 kills, 6 errors). In the fourth game, ENMU hit .179, with 16 kills and nine errors. The Zias hit .240 in Game #1 and .435 in Game #3.

TSU edged Eastern, 30-28, in Game #4 to prevent the Zias from winning the match. The TexAnns followed up by hitting .571 on 13 kills and just one attacking error in the fifth game, as TSU completed its comeback with a 15-7 win.

Eastern New Mexico will remain on the road for another LSC South match on Saturday, Sept. 14 at Texas A&M-Kingsville. Match time in Kingsville, Texas, is set for 11 a.m. (MST).