TexAnns overcome slow start to beat Texas Wesleyan in four

Murrah, Umbel lead Tarleton comeback with season-high 13 kills each

Stacie Murrah had a season-high 13 kills to lead Tarleton out of an early 0-1 hole in Tuesday's match against Texas Wesleyan.

Box Score STEPHENVILLE – Despite a slow start in the home opener, Tarleton battled back to win Tuesday night's match against Texas Wesleyan in four sets and improve to 3-2 on the young season.

Things didn't exactly go Tarleton's way in the first set as the Lady Rams jumped out to an early 7-3 lead on the strength of three straight service aces to force a TexAnn timeout. Texas Wesleyan continued to pile it on, eventually extending the lead to 12-5.

Tarleton answered with a 6-2 run to pull back within four and eventually clawed all the way back to make it a one-point game at 23-22, but two kills from Texas Wesleyan would close out the first set.

In the second set, Tarleton kept it tied through the first eight before a kill by Danielle Barker off an assist from Katie Covell sparked the TexAnns to a 6-0 run and a 10-4 lead. The lead would not hold, however, as Texas Wesleyan would eventually tie the game at 21-21.

Tarleton would score four of the final six total points to claim the second set 25-23.

The TexAnns finally pulled away after trailing at the start.

Down 3-5, Meg Umbel landed a kill to spark a 4-0 run and give Tarleton a 7-5 lead – a lead they would not relinquish and eventually build into a 6-point lead at 21-15. The teams ended the set in a 4-4 tie, but the four points was enough to secure the set victory.

Tarleton started the fourth set on a 4-0 run on two kills and a service ace by Kaitlyn White. The TexAnns pushed their lead to as many as seven at 21-14 and finished off the match with a 4-2 run.

Leading the way for the offense was Stacie Murrah and Meg Umbel with 13 kills each. Both Murrah (.321) and Umbel (.333) finished with a hitting percentage of over .300.

The TexAnns will return to action in their second tournament of the season this weekend when they travel to Golden, Colo. to compete at the Colorado Mines Oredigger Classic.

QUICK HITS
- This is the first match of the season in which a TexAnn did not record a double-double.

- A season-high 13 players saw game action for the TexAnns, including Marrisa Banda and Ashley Rine making their 2013 debuts.

- Tarleton improved to 6-9 all-time against the Lady Rams an is 3-2 against them at Wisdom Gym.

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