CANYON, Texas – Adams State redshirt sophomore
Riley Rabedeaux led all players with a match-high 13 kills, but No. 14 and host West Texas A&M held the Grizzlies to a .194 hitting percentage en route to a 27-25, 25-12, 25-18 sweep to open the season for both teams at the Britkare Lady Buff Classic.
ASU falls to 0-1, failing to avenge last year's opening-season setback to the same Lady Buff squad.
The opening set saw four ties early on, until the hosts used a 6-2 run to break a 7-7 tie and take a 13-9 lead.
Behind a pair of kills by
Anna Huggins and a ball-handling error by the hosts, ASU knotted the set at 17-17, eventually taking the lead at 22-21 on a West Texas attack error, prompting a time out by the hosts.
That proved beneficial as the Lady Buffs regrouped to catch the Grizzlies at 24-24, and eventually take the first set, 27-25.
WTAMU used that momentum to take a commanding 16-5 lead in set two, pushing it to 22-9 en route to a 25-12 result.
The Grizzlies regrouped after intermission, keeping pace with the No. 14 Lady Buffs and splitting the first 12 points. ASU inched out to a 14-12 lead after an attack error by Lady Buff Camy Jones, only to see the hosts go on a 7-3 run to take a 19-15 lead, prompting a Grizzlies time out.
That only delayed the inevitable, however, as WTAMU kept ASU at arm's length, closing out the set, 25-18, and the match, 3-0.
Huggins added nine kills and
Natalie Gallegos seven in the loss, while libero
Aileen Bugas paced ASU with 10 digs and setter
Madeleine Benally tallied 27 assists to lead all players.
ASU continues tournament action at 4:30 p.m. (CT) this afternoon, taking on Northwest Missouri State.
