CANYON, Texas – The #10 Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M snapped a 16-match Lone Star Conference win streak on Friday night as they fell in a five-set thriller to the Javelinas of Texas A&M-Kingsville (17-25, 25-12, 25-18, 27-29, 7-15) at the Steinke Center in Kingsville, Texas.
 
Kingsville opened the scoring, building an early advantage with service aces from Elisa Carli and a kill by Rylie Barnett, establishing a 4-0 lead. WT responded with a kill by Stow, assisted by Pemberton, to break the Javelinas' run. Despite efforts by Marusak and Becker, who both scored kills assisted by Pemberton, the Lady Buffs trailed throughout the set. Cavanaugh and Stow added crucial points, butKingsville maintained their lead, closing the set with a 25-17 victory.
 
WT initiated the second set with a strong offensive performance, highlighted by consistent play from Becker and Marusak. After an early exchange of points, Becker and Marusak combined for several kills, creating a momentum shift that saw the Lady Buffs build a significant lead. Key contributions from Cavanaugh and Stow allowed the visitors to capitalize on TAMUK errors, extending their advantage. As the set progressed, the Lady Buffs continued to apply pressure, with Miranda Acosta's assists setting up effective attacks. WT maintained control, leveraging errors from the opposition to widen the gap. Despite a late push from the opponents, the Lady Buffs concluded the set decisively, closing with a 25-12 victory and extending their lead in the match.
 
The Lady Buffs opened the third set with a decisive 4-0 run, highlighted by kills from Becker and Stow, capitalizing on a Javelina attack error. Continuing their offensive momentum, the Lady Buffs extended their lead to 9-3, with Marusak and Cavanaugh contributing key points. Kingsville attempted to close the gap, narrowing the score to 18-12 with a series of kills, but the Lady Buffs' steady play, including multiple kills from Cavanaugh, maintained their advantage. Despite a late push from the hosts, WT sealed the set with a 25-18 win, with Becker delivering the final blow.
 
In the fourth set, WT began by capitalizing on Texas A&M-Kingsville's early errors, gaining momentum with a block by Becker and Stow. A subsequent kill by Marusak helped maintain a slim lead. However, a run by Texas A&M-Kingsville, highlighted by a service ace, shifted the momentum, tying the score at 7-7. The Lady Buffs responded with strategic plays, including a kill from Marusak and a block by Cavanaugh and Stow, regaining the lead. The set saw several ties as both teams exchanged points. Crucial kills by Becker and Cavanaugh kept the Lady Buffs competitive, leveling the score at 23-23. In the closing moments, WT briefly led 24-23, but Kingsville managed to pull ahead again. Despite a kill from Marusak to tie the game at 27-27, the Javelinas secured the final two points, closing the set with a 29-27 victory.
 
In the decisive fifth set, WT initially matched Kingsville point for point, with Becker's early kill leveling the score at 1-1. However, a series of attack errors and effective plays from the opposition allowed the Javelinas to pull ahead, capitalizing on a 6-point run. Despite a kill from Cavanaugh and a block by Marusak and Gladhill to bring some points back, WT could not regain control. Kingsville continued their momentum, extending their lead to 13-4. Stow and Marusak added crucial kills to narrow the gap slightly, but TAMUK sustained their advantage. The set concluded with the Javelinas securing the set 15-7.
 
Emma Becker led the Lady Buffs with 21.5 points, contributing 20 kills and three blocks across five sets. Currie Marusak followed closely with 18.5 points, tallying 17 kills and adding 14 digs to her performance. Taytum Stow delivered a strong defensive effort, recording five block assists and accumulating 14.5 points. Hannah Pemberton facilitated the offense with 33 assists, complementing her play with eight digs.
 
Natalee Rush led Kingsville with 18 points, highlighted by her seven total blocks, which included one solo. Rylan Pollard contributed significantly with a team-high 18.5 points, supported by 24 assists and 12 digs. Elisa Carli was instrumental in setting up the offense, recording 32 assists and adding two service aces. Rylie Barnett also made a notable impact, tallying 15.5 points and securing three block assists.
 
The Lady Buffs look to rebound on Saturday afternoon as they head to Laredo, Texas to take on the Texas A&M International Dustdevils with first serve set for 2:00 p.m.