Zias drop 12th straight match

Freedom New Mexico

COMMERCE, Texas — Senior middle blocker Colleen Favaro posted a double-double with 16 kills and 13 digs Thursday night as Texas A&M-Commerce kept Eastern New Mexico University reeling with a 30-17, 30-26, 30-21 Lone Star Conference volleyball sweep.

The loss was the 12th in a row and 17th in 18 matches for the Zias (3-19, 0-6 LSC), who battled to the wire in the second game but were dominated in the other two games by the Lions (8-13, 2-4).

Senior outside hitter Randi Egley had eight kills and a match-high three block solos for the Zias, while sophomore setter Heidi Geyer had six kills and no errors on 17 attacks. Junior libero Nicole Vanderploeg recorded a team-high 15 digs.

Commerce scored the first four points and was never in trouble in the first game, but the Zias used a 5-0 run to take a 9-7 lead in the second game. The Lions pulled even with the next two points, but didn’t take the lead until Favaro’s ace made it 18-17.

ENMU regained three one-point leads, the last at 23-22 on an Egley kill, but Commerce responded with four points in a row. Freshman Rachel Lance got a kill for the Lions on game point.

Commerce pulled away from a 1-1 tie in the third game, scoring the next three points and never relinquishing the lead.

The Zias return to action with a 1 p.m. (MDT) conference match on Saturday against Texas Woman’s at Denton, Texas.

Texas A&M-Commerce 3, ENMU 0

ENMU 17 26 21

Texas A&M-Commerce 30 30 30

Individual statistics

Kills — Eastern New Mexico, Randi Egley 8, Megan Kazakoff 7, Heidi Geyer 6, Veronica Valdez 5. Texas A&M-Commerce, Colleen Favaro 16, Rachel Lance 11, Terra Ousley 9, Wannie Neal 7. Block solos — Eastern New Mexico, Egley 3, Vanessa Wilcox 1. Texas A&M-Commerce, Favaro 1, Neal 1. Block assists — Eastern New Mexico, none. Texas A&M-Commerce, Neal 2, Brittany Williams 2. Digs — Eastern New Mexico, Nicole Vanderploeg 15, Caitlin Murphy 13. Texas A&M-Commerce, Lauren Flynn 17, Favaro 13. Aces — Eastern New Mexico, Murphy 2, three tied with 1. Texas A&M-Commerce, five tied with 1. Assists — Eastern New Mexico, Karen McIntyre 18, Grace Brandt 9. Texas A&M-Commerce, Williams 38. Records — Eastern New Mexico 3-19 (0-6), Texas A&M-Commerce 8-13 (2-4). T — 1:21. A — 126.