Box Score SAN ANTONIO — St. Mary's Volleyball stormed back to force a fifth set against Southern Nazarene on Friday, but fell short in the decisive set, 15-11, to drop the match 3-2.
Kelsey Huber lit up the Crimson Storm with a match-high 22 kills and .457 hitting percentage, while decorated Libero
Victorria Martinez turned in a match-leading 31 digs.
The Rattlers took an early lead in the opening set, but trailed for the first time following a long volley that resulted in Southern Nazarene (1-1) taking a 12-11 lead that it would relinquish, winning the set 25-18.
St. Mary's took a commanding 17-8 advantage in the second set, and breezed to a 25-15 victory to even the match at 1-1. The teams alternated winning the next two sets, with Southern Nazarene taking a 2-1 lead by winning Set 3 25-18 before St. Mary's won the fourth set 25-20.
St. Mary's again led in Set 2, this time by a commanding 17-8 margin. StMU went on to win the set 25-15.
St. Mary's entered the night following a disappointing, hard-fought loss to Heartland Conference rival Lubbock Christian, which outlasted the Rattlers in five sets after seeing StMU take an early 2-1 lead.
The Rattlers will conclude their season-opening tournament play with another conference matchup Saturday when they take on Texas-Permian Basin at 12 p.m. from inside Bill Greehey Arena.
