HOUSTON – HBU battled after dropping the first set to regular-season champion Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, but came up short in a 3-1 (16-25, 25-15, 19-25, 23-25) loss in the Southland Conference finale Saturday afternoon at Sharp Gym.
Senior setter
Kayla Armer had 33 assists and 12 digs and became the first HBU setter with 5,000 career assists. Senior outside hitter
Melissa Fuchs recorded a double-double for the Huskies (18-14, 9-7 SLC) with 11 kills and 11 digs. Junior outside hitter
Bailey Banks had nine kills and 10 digs, while senior right side
Ashlee Vann had eight kills and six blocks. Junior libero
Hailey Erickson led HBU defensively with 18 digs, while junior defensive specialist
Rachel Angeles added 10. Junior middle blocker
Blair Gillard posted three blocks, tying the SLC single-season record with 163 total blocks.
Brittany Gilpin led the Islanders (21-7, 16-0) to a perfect conference record with 17 kills and eight digs. Kristyn Nicholson and Madison Fitzsimmons had eight kills each, with Nicholson adding 36 assists and six digs. Kate Clepetka led the Islanders with 25 digs and Madison Woods came up with 13.
TAMU-CC outhit HBU, .248-.146, outdug them, 67-64, while the Huskies led in blocks, 11-9.
The Huskies return to action at the Southland Conference Tournament Thursday in Conway, Arkansas.
