Zias knocked out of playoff race

KINGSVILLE, Texas — Sophomore Shaday Smith’s 19 kills led four Texas A&M-Kingsville players in double figures in that category and the Javelinas rallied for a 29-31, 30-26, 19-30, 30-20, 15-12 win over Eastern New Mexico University in Lone Star Conference South Division volleyball Thursday night.

With the win, the Javelinas (10-17, 5-3 South) clinched third place in the division and a berth in the LSC tournament Nov. 3-5 at Edmond, Okla. The loss eliminated the Zias (7-17, 2-5) from postseason consideration.

ENMU won a seesaw first game, rallying from a 19-14 deficit. The Zias then dominated Game 3, building a 16-9 lead when senior Lindsay Schiely and junior Grace George combined to block Kingsville’s Kara Maughan, completing an 8-1 run.

Kingsville took control of the fourth game after a pair of early ties. The Zias pulled even 2-2 early in the fifth game on a kill by senior Kristi Britain, but the Javs scored the next two points and never relinquished the lead.

Britain’s kill pulled ENMU to 13-12, but after a Javs timeout Smith delivered a kill and Leslie Petros served an ace on match point.

Maughan, a 5-9 junior outside hitter, compiled her fourth double-double of the season with 17 kills and 11 digs. She also served five aces in the match.

For the Zias, freshman outside hitter Rhea Wortman posted a double-double with a team-high 15 kills and 14 digs, to go with two aces. Britain added 11 kills, seven digs, two block solos and two aces, and George finished with 10 kills.

ENMU SUMMARY

Lone Star Conference South

Texas A&M-Kingsville 3, ENMU 2

ENMU 31 26 30 20 12

Kingsville 29 30 19 30 15

Individual statistics

Kills — Eastern New Mexico, Rhea Wortman 15, Kristi Britain 11, Grace George 10, Lindsay Schiely 8. Texas A&M-Kingsville, Shaday Smith 19, Kara Maughan 17, Juliana Gusmao 13, Kristena Eyraud 11. Block solos — Eastern New Mexico, Britain 2, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Eyraud 1, Maughan 1. Block assists — Eastern New Mexico, Amber Davis 2, George 2, Schiely 2. Texas A&M-Kingsville, Eyraud 5, Heidi Scheopner 5, Danielle Godfrey 4, Smith 3. Digs — Eastern New Mexico, Vanessa Wilcox 16, Wortman 14. Texas A&M-Kingsville, Leslie Petros 12, Maughan 11, Gusmao 10. Aces — Eastern New Mexico, Britain 2, Wortman 2, Kara Killian 1, Kathryn McCannell 1. Texas A&M-Kingsville, Maughan 5, Petros 4, Scheopner 3. Assists — Eastern New Mexico, McCannell 23, Killian 21. Texas A&M-Kingsville, Scheopner 57. Records — Eastern New Mexico 7-17 (2-5), Texas A&M-Kingsville 10-17 (5-3). T — 2:04. A — 341.