PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill. – Junior Mazvita Maziveyi (Harare, Zimbabwe/Hillside (NC)) (Durham, N.C.) recorded a match-best 10 kills, but host Chicago State dropped a 3-0 (25-18, 25-12, 25-21) decision to visiting Texas-Pan American here today at Palos Courts. The Cougars saw their season record fall to 0-17 (0-3), while the Broncs improved to 5-12 (2-1) on the year.
The visitors used five straight service points from senior Ariana Bermea to gain a 9-5 advantage in the early part of the first set before CSU scored six of the next 12 points to pull within 15-11 after a service ace from freshman Anna Morgan (South Range, WI/Maple-Northwestern) (South Range, Wis.). UTPA received three kills from sophomore Ijanae Holman as part of scoring 10 of the final 17 points run to post a 1-0 lead.
Bermea struck again in the second set as she recorded seven service points during a 19-6 run which turned a 3-3 tie into a commanding 22-9 lead as the Cougars could get no closer than 12 points the rest of the way as UTPA headed into intermission with a two-set leading margin.
In the third set, freshman Valeria Desiderio (Chicago Heights, Ill./Bloom) (Chicago Heights, Ill.) recorded four service points, including a service ace, to help CSU post a 16-11 lead before the Broncs scored five straight points of their own to even the score at 16-16 following a kill from senior Megan Fichtel. The home team then split the next eight points played with UTPA to keep the score tied at 20-20 after senior Emem Obot (Calumet City, IL/South Suburban College) (Calumet City, Ill.) recorded a solo block, but the visitors scored five of the final six points to capture the match.
Desiderio added seven kills and senior Shandella Darring (Chicago, IL/Kentucky State) (Chicago, Ill.) added six kills to lead Chicago State on offense, while junior Alexandra Mason (Beaverton, OR/Harper College) (Beaverton, Ore.) produced a career-best 16 assists. Morgan recorded a season-best three blocks and freshman Mysta Townsell (Gardnerville, Nev./Douglas) (Gardnerville, Nev.) tallied 11 digs for the Cougars.
Senior Marci Logan recorded a double-double of 13 digs and 10 kills to pace Texas-Pan American. Holman and fellow sophomore Sarah Davis also produced 10 kills, and senior Rita Gonzalez produced a match-best 34 assists. Fichtel and junior Jimena Gandara posted a match-leading three blocks, while senior Kaitlin Vasquez had a match-high 17 digs.
CSU opens a five-match road swing in Wisconsin on Thursday, Sept. 30 with a non-conference contest at Green Bay beginning at 7 p.m.
~CSU~
