COMMERCE, Texas – The Tarleton State volleyball program dropped the finale of the Lion Invitational in four sets (23-25, 20-25, 25-15, 18-25) to the host, Texas A&M-Commerce on Saturday afternoon at The Field House.
 
After their first tournament of the season, the Texans end the weekend, 0-3. Texas A&M-Commerce finishes the weekend, 2-1. Arkansas-Little Rock was the Lion Invitational champion with a perfect 3-0 slate.
 
Allison Bryant led or tied for the Texan lead in kills in each of the three games this weekend. Throughout the three games she combined for 41 kills, 15 digs, two blocks and an ace. On Saturday against the Lions she tied for the team-lead in kills with Madison Frank each totaling 14.
 
Megan Hodges a night after setting a new career high in assists, posted 35. Addison Goss led the way with 23 digs, followed by Emma Halcomb with 19. Stéphanie Sarmezan made her first start of the season and notched four blocks.
 
The first set was the definition of back-and-forth featuring 14 ties and eight lead changes. Neither team led by more than three at any time during the set and that was a rare occasion. Bryant led the attack for the Texans notching six kills during the first frame. The Texans forced ties on multiple points, but were unable to break through for the lead untila block by Burke and Hodges gave the Texans a 6-5 advantage. Tarleton dropped behind but was able to regain the lead 16-15 on a kill by Tatum Busch. Ultimately the Lions used a 3-0 run to take a 23-20 lead, which the Texans were unable to surmount falling 25-23 in the opening stanza.
 
The second frame started out the same with neither team taking more than a three-point advantage until Commerce held a 22-18 lead. The set featured nine ties and four lead changes. Tarleton used a 4-1 run to take its biggest lead of the match, 12-9. The Lions responded to tie the frame at 15 all. Back-to-back points gave the Texans their final lead of the stanza, 17-15. The Lions claimed seven of the final nine points of the frame to take the second set, 25-20.
 
The Texans broke through on the third stanza with a statement.  After starting the frame even at four, Tarleton exploded with a 12-2 run to distance themselves with the Lions, 16-6. During the run, Busch tallied three aces in a mini 7-0 run. Tehana Mo'o added a pair of kills during the run as well. The Lions shortened the Texan lead to seven, but four consecutive points put the frame out of reach for A&M-Commerce. Tarleton notched its second set victory of the season, 25-15.
 
The Lions responded in the fourth set taking control with only two ties and one lead change. The two teams swapped points with the game tied at two. The Lions broke the game open with a 6-1 run to lead, 9-3. The Purple and White were unable to shrink the deficit as the Lions used 6-2 run to grow their lead to 16-8. Tarleton fought back late ending the game on a 5-2 run, but ultimately falling in the fourth and final set, 25-18.
 
The Texans led many statistical categories over the Lions. The Purple and White led in kills (55-50), assists (51-44) and service aces (7-6).
 
Tarleton will head to St. Paul, Minn. next week for the Tommie Invitational Tournament. The Texans will take on host, St. Thomas, Northern Illinois and Valparaiso in the three-day tournament running from Thursday to Sunday at the Schoenecker Arena.