ENMU drops second-straight match

KINGSVILLE, Texas — Sarh Miller and Madison Brabham had 14 kills each, and Texas A&M-Kingsville recovered from a first-set loss to post a 23-25, 25-21, 25-16, 27-25 win Saturday over the suddenly slumping Eastern New Mexico volleyball team.

Hailey Hutchinson added five blocks for the Javelinas (11-8, 3-5 Lone Star Conference), who sent the visiting Greyhounds to their second setback in as many days.

The Greyhounds, who had won three consecutive LSC games to move into the conference’s top four, fell Friday in San Antonio to St. Mary’s.

Things didn’t start well for the Greyhounds, who fell behind 13-6 in the opening set before they ripped off a 5-1 run and slowly clawed back to a 22-22 tie. The Javelinas took the lead on a Talleyshia Morris kill, but the Greyhounds scored the next three to roll up the opening set — which was their eighth-consecuive LSC set win dating back nearly two weeks against West Texas A&M.

But that was all the winning Eastern (7-10, 5-4) would do the rest of the day despite a few more nailbiter sets. Eastern fell behind 10-3 in the second set before eventually rallying to a 20-20 tie. However, a Miller kill helped start a 5-1 run to close things out.

Kingsville pulled in front of a tight third set with a 5-1 run to make it 17-12, then closed out the game with the final six points after Eastern drew to 19-16.

There were six lead changes in the final set, with neither team ever leading by more than three. The Greyhounds held off match point at 24-23 with a Brabham attack error, then again at 25-24 on a Julie tucker kill before the Javelinas snuffed the rally with kills from Melanie Casteel and Kailey Estrada.

Jennifer Martinez and Jasmine Gannon both had 10 kills to lead the way for Eastern, while Tucker had five blocks.

The Greyhounds return to action Friday at Texas Woman’s.