ODESSA – Tarleton dropped its last game of the regular season in a five-set loss at UT Permian Basin Saturday afternoon.
 
Despite the loss, Tarleton remains atop the Lone Star Conference standings and will host the LSC Championship Tournament in Wisdom Gym next weekend, beginning Thursday.
 
Tarleton got things started by jumping out to a 13-8 lead in the opening set, but the Falcons went on a 17-9 run over the next 26 points to battle back and take the opening game.
 
The TexAnns bounced back in the second set by jumping out to a 15-8 lead and then closing it out with a 10-8 run over the remainder of the set. Adriana Darthuy powered home a kill shot to close out the set with a 25-16 lead. The TexAnns kept things rolling in the third set as Tarleton led the entire way and won the third set 25-19.
 
UT Permian Basin clawed back with a 25-21 win in the fourth set and a 15-10 in the deciding fifth set, in which the Falcons hit .435 to win the match.
 
Tarleton hit .179 as a team, its fourth-lowest of the season, while UT Permian Basin hit .199.
 
Darthuy and Strange led the team in kills as Darthuy powered down 17 kills and Strange added 16. Blanca Izquierdo (24) and Kayla Brannon (21) combined for 45 assists while five players recorded double-digit digs, led by Adrianna Knutson with 25. Darthuy (10), McManus (11), Michaela Rodriguez (13), and Izquierdo (13) also had double-digit digs.
 
Tarleton will open the LSC Tournament in Stephenville on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. against the No. 8 seed, which is still to be determined. Tournament details will be made available following the final regular season games across the league.