MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Cameron University volleyball earned their first win of the 2018 season with a 3-2 victory over Union (Tenn.), as the team split the final day at the Dr. Margaret Downing Invitational on Saturday.

The first match against Union was back and forth. Cameron hit in the negative in set one, but bounced back to hit .219 in set two and .400 in set three to take a 2-1 lead. After losing set four, the Aggies bounced back with a dominating 15-9 win in set five victory to earn the win. They racked up 11 aces as a team in the five set battle.

Cameron used a balanced offensive attack to secure the win. Freshman Shantalle Demirjian led the team with 10 kills on a .364 attack percentage, while Paige Dixon and Amarachi Iwunze each had nine kills and Brandy Carr had eight. Additionally, Carr had a team best four blocks, while Kirsten Evans and Katherine Manning each recorded double-doubles with Manning collecting 23 assists and 12 digs and Evans having 21 assists and 10 digs.

In set one, Union opened up to a 5-0 lead and continued to hold it throughout the set. CU climbed back into the set with a 5-1 lead to cut the score to 16-15 and then 19-18, but a late 6-2 earned the Lady Bulldogs a win. However Cameron turned the tide in set two, using a seven point rally to take a 22-12 lead. Union made a comeback to cut the lead to two, but a pair of kills by Bristol Lewis and Demirjian closed out the 25-21 equalizer for the Black and Gold.

Set three started out with the teams trading blows until Cameron went on a 14-3 run to go up 17-8. Union battled to get the score close again, but the Aggie attack was too much as Demirjian ended another set with a kill. The fourth set came down to the wire, as a kill by Ashleigh McFatridge got CU to within one point at 23-22, but UU scored two straight to even up the match at two sets each.

The fifth set stayed close until the two teams switched sides, as that is when CU used a 6-1 stretch to take a 14-7 lead. The Lady Bulldogs got a pair back, but a Dixon kill gave Cameron their first win of the 2018 season.

Against SAU, Cameron played weel in the first set, hitting .323 as a team, but combined for 18 attack errors in the second and third sets. After battling for a win in set four with a 16 kill set, CU fell in the final set. The Lady Muleriders held the advantage at the net, while the Aggies had two more aces than the opposition with seven.

Three CU players reached double-figures in kills with freshman Sarah Wright leading the team with 14 and Iwunze adding 12 and Dixon 10; Dixon had a double-double with 12 digs. Evans recorded her second double-double of the day with 27 assists and 10 digs, as Manning added 25 assists and Brittnee Altic had 43 digs; Altic also combined for 10 service aces on the day.

The Aggies held a strong advantage in the first set, using a five point rally to build a 12-6 lead early. They held the lead throughout the rest of the set and won 25-17 thanks to an Iwunze kill. Set two was filled with several small runs by SAU, which propelled them to a 25-18 win to even the match. They continued that momentum into the third game, opening up a comfortable lead with a 9-1 stretch. Cameron tried to make a late run, scoring four straight to get to within one at 23-22, but the Lady Muleriders closed out the set with two straight points.

Set four was close throughout, with both teams trading blows throughout. After CU took a 23-21 lead on a Lewis Kill, SAU scored three straight to be within one point of a set win. Cameron then scored two straight to go back up by one, but the home team responded with a pair of kills to take back the lead. The Aggies then scored three straight to force a fifth set with a 29-27 win. Set five was just as close, and the Black and Gold held an 8-7 lead halfway through. Cameron scored two straight out of the side switch, but SAU responded with a 5-1 run to get to set point 14-11. A service error by Southern Arkansas and a kill by Dixon cut the lead to one, but the home team answered with a kill of their own to take the match.

Cameron is now 1-3 after the first weekend of play.

Next up for the Aggies is a battle with Southwestern Oklahoma State for the 2018 home opener. The match is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 28 at 6 p.m.