Bulldogs Rally Past A&M-Commerce

October 20, 2005

Weatherford, OK - Southwestern Oklahoma State fought back from deep early hole and stormed back for a 3-2 (22-30, 22-30, 30-23, 30-17, 16-14) volleyball win against Texas A&M-Commerce Thursday in Weatherford.

The win improved SWOSU’s record to 5-20 on the season and 1-5 in Lone Star Conference North Division play. TAMC dipped to 9-15 overall and 1-6 in the league. The victory helped ease some of the sting of a ‘no contest’ ruling that SWOSU received when they led TAMC in their last meeting before a power outage stopped the game before a winner could be determined by rule.

Sophomore Kasandra Gurtner had a season-high 25 kills and teammate Tennessee Brown added 15 for the victorious Bulldogs in the one hour and 50-minute marathon match. SWOSU finished as a team with 65 kills, 30 errors in 166 attacks for a salty .211 hitting percentage. TAMC ended with similar numbers recording 62 kills, 30 errors in 167 attack attempts for a .192 average.

The Bulldogs began their charge in game three opening with a 4-1 lead and never trailing, rolling to a 30-23 win. The fourth game was more of the same as SWOSU led 16-9 at the halfway point and coasted to a 30-17 win to set up the fifth and deciding game.

In game five, SWOSU trailed 11-10 before a stringing together four consecutive points on a pair of Gurtner kills, a service ace by Te Berry and another kill by Janna Green to go up 14-11. TAMC fought back tied it at 14 before Gurtner recorded her 25th and final kill to put SWOSU ahead 15-14. The match ended when Brown smashed her 15th kill of the night on an overplayed dig by TAMC, giving SWOSU a hard-fought 16-14 win.

The Bulldogs remain at home when they face their next opponent – Southeastern Oklahoma State – Saturday, Oct. 22 at 12 p.m.