SMU Volleyball Falls 3-0 To Cal State Fullerton
ATLANTA (SMU) – The SMU volleyball team fell in three intense, highly contested set (29-31, 21-25, 17-25) in its second match at the Georgia Tech Courtyard Invitational Saturday, falling to 1-1 on the season. Carla Armstrong finished with a double-double, scoring 10 kills with 10 digs. Courtney Manning had eight kills and three blocks, and Cailin Bula added nine kills.
The Mustangs maintained control for most of the first set, keeping the advantage until a Cal State Fullerton (1-1) serve landed just inside the end line to give the Titans their first lead of the set, 20-19. SMU kept battling, fending off five set points before eventually falling 31-29. It was the longest set for the Mustangs since the rules changed sets from 30 to 25 points after the 2007 season.
SMU bounced back to take the first six points of the second set, stretching the lead to seven with a 14-7 lead midway through the set. The Titans rallied for eight of the next nine points to even the score, 15-15. Three points later, Fullerton had a 17-16 lead it would never relinquish, taking a 2-0 lead in the match with the 25-21 victory.
In the third set, it was the Mustangs’ turn to attempt a comeback, but the deficit was too great. The Titans stormed out to a 19-5 lead before SMU went on a 10-2 run to cut the lead to six, 21-15. Cal State Fullerton called a timeout and scored four of the next six points to end the match with the 25-17 win.
The Mustangs take on host Georgia Tech in the final match of the tournament tonight at 6 p.m. CT. The Yellow Jackets are 2-0 with a 3-1 win over Cal State Fullerton and a 3-0 win over Charleston Southern.
