CANYON, Texas – West Texas A&M's
Emma Becker finished the afternoon with 21 kills and 13 digs as the double-double led the #14 Lady Buffs to a four-set Lone Star Conference win over the Pioneers of Texas Woman's (23-25, 25-15, 25-16, 24-12) at the WTAMU Fieldhouse "The Box" in Canyon.
WT started the first set strong, capitalizing on multiple attack errors by Texas Woman's to establish an early 3-0 lead.
Emma Becker contributed significantly with a series of kills, maintaining a slight edge for the team. They held onto the lead midway through the set, with
Taytum Stow and
Currie Marusak adding crucial points. As the set progressed, Texas Woman's responded with a series of successful plays to level the score at 10-10. Despite WT efforts, including key plays from Becker and Stow, the visitors edged ahead. The teams exchanged points in a tense rally, with Texas Woman's managing to close the set at 25-23, taking the narrow win.
The Lady Buffs began the second set with a powerful offensive surge, quickly establishing a 6-0 lead. Becker,
Kaycee Cavanaugh, and Stow contributed key kills, while
Hannah Pemberton facilitated with a series of effective assists. A pair of blocks, including one by
Parker Gladhill, further widened the margin. Despite a brief rally from Texas Woman's, including points from Myracle Stockman and Tori Woods, WT maintained control. Cavanaugh and Pemberton continued to capitalize on Texas Woman's errors, extending the lead to 19-7. The set concluded with WT sealing the victory at 25-15, aided by service aces and defensive resilience. The home team closed out the set effectively, maintaining a double-digit margin to take a commanding position in the match.
WT began the third set with a focused surge after overcoming an early 5-1 deficit against Texas Woman's. Key contributions came from Cavanaugh and Becker, who helped close the gap to 9-9, setting the stage for a pivotal run. Momentum swung definitively in favor of the Lady Buffs as Becker and Marusak combined for critical kills, fueling a 10-1 scoring drive that extended the lead to 19-15. The set concluded with WT capitalizing on opponent errors and consistent offensive execution, securing a 25-16 victory.
The Lady Buffs seized control early in the fourth set with Becker delivering a crucial kill to open scoring. The team capitalized on attack errors by their opponents and strong contributions from Cavanaugh and Stow to extend their lead to 7-1. Texas Woman's attempted to narrow the gap, but the Lady Buffs maintained momentum with critical kills from Marusak and Becker. As the set continued, the Lady Buffs maintained their advantage with a series of decisive plays, including a pivotal block by Becker and a service ace from the team. WT closed the set strongly, with Becker and Stow contributing key kills to finish 25-12. The decisive performance in the fourth set secured the victory, highlighting the team's effective offensive execution and defensive resilience.
Emma Becker led the Buffs with 21 kills on a .442 hitting percentage and added 23.5 points. Marusak contributed defensively with 17 digs while also adding 12 kills.
Bromli Watson facilitated the offense with 47 assists and recorded 18 digs. Meanwhile,
Taytum Stow was effective at the net, blocking a total of four opponent attacks.
Trinity Blackwood showcased a strong offensive performance for Texas Woman's with eight kills and an impressive .350 hitting percentage. Myracle Stockman proved to be a key player with 10 kills, one solo block, and a total of 11.5 points, making significant contributions on both sides of the net. Jonaida Donowa led the team with a .421 hitting percentage, adding nine kills and two block assists to her tally. Alyssa Rojo stood out defensively, recording 20 digs, highlighting her ability to anchor the back row.
The Lady Buffs continue their homestand on Tuesday night as they host the Mustangs of Midwestern State with first serve set for 6::00 p.m. at The Box in Canyon.
