Zias clinch berth in LSC Tournament
Take on Tarleton and Kingsville to finish off regular season

PORTALES, N.M. — The Eastern New Mexico University volleyball team has officially clinched a spot in the Lone Star Conference Tournament, thanks to last weekend’s losses by Texas A&M University-Kingsville and Tarleton State University. The tournament will be held from Thursday, Nov. 11 to Saturday, Nov. 13 in Lawton, Okla. Due to the fact that it clinched the LSC North title, Cameron University will be this year’s host.

The entirety of the tournament’s field is set with one weekend to play in the regular season. The Zias join Abilene Christian University and Angelo State University as representatives from the LSC South, while Cameron, the University of Central Oklahoma and Texas Woman’s University have qualified in the LSC North.

ACU has clinched the South Division with a 9-1 record in divisional play, its lone loss coming at the hands of ENMU on Oct. 21 at Greyhound Arena, and will have a bye in the first round of the tournament. Angelo has clinched the second seed in the South by virtue of its 7-3 record in the division. ASU holds the tiebreaker over Eastern, as it swept the season series with the Zias, who will be the third seed.

On the North side, Cameron has clinched its fifth LSC North title and its first outright league title since 2000. The Aggies have posted a 9-0 record in the division and have won ten straight matches. Central Oklahoma is currently in the number two slot in the North with a 7-2 record, while Texas Woman’s sits at 5-3 in the third slot. UCO had won each of the previous three LSC North titles. Any combination of a UCO win or a Texas Woman’s loss this weekend would give the second seed to the Bronchos.

On Thursday, Nov. 11, the Zias will face off against the No. 2 seed in the North, with the time yet to be determined. Eastern has not faced either UCO or Cameron this season, but defeated TWU in four games at the LSC Crossover Tournament on Sept. 25.

Perennial powerhouse West Texas A&M University has been eliminated from the postseason with a 2-6 record in LSC South play. It marks the first time the Lady Buffs have missed the LSC Tournament, as WTAMU had won seven straight divisional titles and five straight tournament championships.

Eastern finishes its regular season on the road this weekend with divisional games against Tarleton and Texas A&M-Kingsville. On Thursday, Nov. 4, the Zias face off with TSU for a 6 p.m. (MST) contest, and on Saturday, Nov. 6, Eastern takes on Kingsville at 11 a.m.