The West Texas A&M Lady Buffs saw their ups and downs competing at a very high level Colorado Premiere Tournament on Friday and Saturday in Denver, Colo.
The Lady Buffs opened the tournament against Bentley getting a four-set win 26-24, 25-15, 22-25, 25-22 on Friday. From there, WTAMU saw struggles against top-ranked competition falling to No. 15 Point Loma (25-23, 16-25, 24-26, 22-25), then to MSU Denver (25-23, 13-25, 26-24, 18-25, 12-15) and to No. 11 Concordia-St. Paul (20-25, 17-25, 21-25).
WTAMU is now 6-3 overall on the year and will get set for the Lone Star Conference Tournament Crossover Tournament that begins Thursday through Saturday at the WTAMU Fieldhouse in Canyon. The Lady Buffs will play UT Tyler and Angelo State in the LSC Crossover.
Friday’s matches
WTAMU used a season-best 16 blocks to defeat Bentley in four sets.
Hereford graduate Taytum Stow posted 11 kills on 20 attempts, achieving a .550 hitting percentage, and led the team with nine total blocks. Bromli Watson facilitated the offense with 39 assists and contributed seven blocks in four matches. Emma Becker added 13 kills and recorded nine digs while participating in all four games. Kaycee Cavanaugh provided strong defense with 17 digs.
In the night cap, the Lady Buffs fell in four sets to Point Loma.
Sharlotte McClintock led the defensive effort for the Buffs with six blocks, contributing six and a half points. Stow posted a strong offensive performance with 13 kills on 33 attempts for a .303 hitting percentage, earning 14 points. Watson facilitated the offense with 38 assists, distributing effectively across the floor.
Saturday’s matches
On Saturday, WTAMU took No. 3 MSU Denver to five sets in a thrilling match.
Amarillo High Currie Marusak led the team with 19.0 points, accumulating 16 kills and contributing five total blocks. Becker added 15 kills and three blocks, finishing with 16.5 points. Stow was a defensive presence, recording six total blocks.
To close out the tournament, the Lady Buffs suffered a sweep at the hands No. 5-ranked Concordia-St. Paul.
Stow was strong on defense for the Lady Buffs with six total blocks, including three solo. Marusak contributed offensively with eight kills and added five digs in the match. Watson facilitated the offense, recording 23 assists over three sets. Cavanaugh displayed versatility by posting six kills, nine digs, and two blocks.