Box Score                Season Stats

STEPHENVILLE - Tarleton (20-6, 13-3) battled for four sets, but fell just short of No. 11 West Texas A&M (21-4, 12-3) in the home finale Saturday afternoon in Wisdom Gym.

The loss ended Tarleton's current nine-game winning streak and split the regular season series with the Lady Buffs. The TexAnns, however, are still ahead of West Texas A&M for second place in the conference by a half game.

The match began with neither team able to get into a rhythm. The teams were unable to string together more than two points over the first 20 points, but the TexAnns led 11-9.

At that point, West Texas A&M answered with a run of six straight points to take a 15-11 lead. Tarleton battled but was unable to overcome the deficit, falling in the opening set to West Texas A&M 25-17.

In the second set, Tarleton led the majority of the way en route to tying the match at one set apiece.

The TexAnns jumped out to a slim 8-5 lead before WT answered with a quick 5-0 push, but a kill by Jazmine Green ended the Lady Buff run and started a 5-0 Tarleton run to force a WT timeout at 13-10.

WT tied the score at 16-16, but the TexAnns withstood the rally to retain their lead at 21-18, forcing another timeout. Out of the break, Katie Covell served up three straight on kills by Meg Umbel and two from Green to bring match point at 24-18.

WT scored three but Umbel ended the set with a kill to knot the match at 1-1 with a 25-21 win.

In the third set, Tarleton was unable to string together any more than two points throughout the entire match as WT went on to win the third set 25-15.

Tarleton battled back in the final set, after trailing by as many as six midway through the set.

With WT leading 18-12, Tarleton went on an 8-4 run to cut the Lady Buff lead to just 22-20. However, WT scored three of the final five points to claim the set and the match.

Emily Klein set a season-high in digs with 34, passing Sharon Lister for fifth on the all-time, single-season records list. She is currently 12 digs shy of passing Kim Franklin for fourth and 22 shy of passing Shea McBrearty for third.

Katie Covell led the team with 13 kills to go along with her 19 digs, marking the 13th double-double of the season for the sophomore. Stacie Murrah and Green each added 11 kills, while Kelsey Raglin chipped in 10 digs.

Danielle Barker recorded 42 assists for the second straight game, bringing her 75 assists shy of passing Didi Ebert for fifth on the all-time, single-season record list.

Senior Nikki McNorton - who was honored before the game - recorded nine kills and five blocks in her final regular season game in Wisdom Gym.

Tarleton will be on the road for the remainder of the regular season, beginning next Friday at Texas A&M-Kingsville for a 7 p.m. match against the Javelinas.