LAWTON, Okla. – The Cameron University volleyball team could not complete the comeback against Southern Nazarene on Tuesday night, falling in five sets.

The Aggies fought hard against the powerful Crimson Storm, recording a season-best 14 total blocks while also hitting .223 with 60 kills in the match. Their opposition used their strengths to get the win, totaling seven service aces while also hitting over .235 on the attack.

Sarah Wright had one of her best games as an Aggies, totaling 18 points with 14 kills, two aces, and three total blocks to go along with 19 digs, which was her third double-double of the year. Freshman Arianna Navarrete had an efficient 16 kills while hitting .350, while Shantalle Demirjian had 10 kills and six blocks for the Black and Gold.

Katherine Manning and Desiree Marmolejo combined for 52 assists at the setter position, while Marmolejo recorded her fourth straight double-double with 12 digs to go along with her 25 assists. Peyton Little and Kirsten Evans were in double-digits for digs, while Caitlyn Henderson and Riana Blount tied Demirjian for the team lead in total blocks (6.0).

In the first set, the Aggies fell behind 5-0 early, but used a 7-1 run to take their first lead of the match. A small 4-1 run by the Black and Gold a few points later gave them a 14-10 advantage, which they would hold the rest of the set to win 25-21.

Southern Nazarene again took an early lead in the second frame, jumping out to a 6-0 advantage. The Aggie battled back to tie the set at 13 on a block by Wright and Henderson, and then took an 18-16 lead thanks to a 4-1 run later in the frame. After battling back and forth, CU reached set-point thanks to an SNU error but then gave up three straight points to fall 26-24 and even up the match.

The third was as close as the previous sets, but a 4-0 run midway through the frame would give the Crimson Storm a 16-11 advantage that propel them to a 25-20 win that put them up 2-1.

Cameron answered with a come from behind win in the fourth set. After going back and forth through most of the frame, SNU looked like they were going to take the match in four after scoring four straight to take a 23-21 advantage. The resilient Aggies then scored four straight, which included kills from Wright and Navarrete, to get the win.  

In the fifth set, Cameron earned a small 6-4 lead thanks to kills from Navarrete and Kendyl Payne and an ace by Manning. After SNU scored seven straight to take an 11-6 advantage, CU got back to within two on a 4-1 run. Unfortunately, the Crimson Storm answered with three straight to secure the 15-10 set win and the match.

The Aggies, now 6-17 on the season, will visit a pair of Lone Star Conference divisional opponents this weekend, as they travel to UT Tyler on Friday, Nov. 1, and A&M-Commerce on Saturday, Nov. 2.