CU falls in five set battle with Falcons

For Immediate Release

November 8, 2019

Cameron University Athletics

Kenton Means – Sports Information Director

 

LAWTON, Okla. – Despite winning the opening two sets, the Cameron volleyball team was unable to knock down the UT Permian Basin Falcons on Friday night, falling 3-2.

The Aggies opened up with a strong 25-23 set one win over the now 18-win Falcons. CU hit .250 on the attack and had 17 kills. They added another 17 kills on a .167 attack percentage in the second, which was a 30-28 win that gave them a 2-0 lead in the match.

Cameron went on to record just 21 kills in the final three sets combined and hit under .150 in all three frames. They also lost the battle at the net and the service line, tallying just 7.0 total blocks and five aces, to UTPB’s 11.0 and 11 respectively.

A trio of CU players had double-digit kill matches, led by Walia Franklin with 12. Shantalle Demirjian added 11 kills, while Sarah Wright added a double-double with 10 kills and 14 digs.

Both CU setters, Desiree Marmolejo (27 assists, 17 digs) and Katherine Manning (20 assists, 11 digs) each had double-doubles of their own, while Peyton Little added 17 digs from the libero position. Additionally, Caitlyn Henderson led CU with five total blocks.

In the first set, Cameron edged out the Falcons thanks to a late 5-2 run that propelled them to the 25-23 win that was capped by a block by Maya Hill and Demirjian. After giving up a 4-0 run early in the second set, CU used a 9-2 stretch to take a 16-11 lead in the frame. UTPB was able to respond and tied the frame at 23 thanks to a 7-2 run of their own. The two teams traded scores until CU got a pair of kills from Demirjian and Wright and a block from Henderson and Wright to win the frame 30-28.

Cameron kept the third set close until the end when UTPB scored six straight to win the frame 25-17. In the fourth, the Falcons used an 11-3 stretch midway through the frame to take an eight point lead that CU cut down to four after scoring four in a row. UT Permian Basin was able to hold off the Black and Gold to win the set 25-21 and force a fifth.

After opening up with a 2-0 lead, Cameron fell behind early after UTPB went on a 5-1 stretch. A kill by Arianna Navarrete halted that run, but UTPB answered with a 7-1 rally that gave them a 12-5 advantage. CU got two back on a pair of UTPB errors, but the damage was already done as their opponent scored three straight to win the set 15-7 and the match 3-2.

Cameron’s fourth straight loss puts them at 6-20 on the season and 2-13 in Lone Star Conference play. They will host Western New Mexico for their final home match on Saturday at 2 p.m. CU will recognize their two seniors immediately following Saturday’s match.

Kenton Means
Sports Information Director
2800 W. Gore Blvd.
South Shepler 512
Lawton, OK 73505
580-581-2303 (Office)
580-583-2210 (Cell)
580-581-5537 (Fax)
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