Texan Volleyball drops two on opening day of Dolphin Classic

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Tarleton volleyball dropped a pair of matches on Friday, the opening day of the Dolphin Classic at Swisher Gymnasium in Jacksonville.
 
The Texans (7-3) fell to host Jacksonville University (3-4) in the first match before falling to Florida Atlantic (7-1) in the afternoon match.
 
Tarleton returns to action Saturday at 10 a.m. CT in their final game of the tournament. They take on Idaho (0-8) and the match can be followed via live stats or Tarleton Volleyball on Twitter
 
Match 1: Jacksonville U 3, Tarleton 0 (25-23, 28-26, 25-22)
Tarleton was swept by Jacksonville University, but they fought throughout, losing the three sets by a combined seven points.

Grayson Schirpik led the Texans with 11 kills, while Ailie Hair (.750) and Breanna McDonough followed with nine and eight respectively. Megan Hodges added 18 assists and 15 digs for a double-double, the first of her career. Hair also had a team-high four blocks.

The Texans hit .182 to the Dolphins .279, mustering 31 kills to 48 by JU.

Tarleton nearly knotted the match up at a set apiece when they took a 25-24 lead in set two off a kill from Schirpik, assisted by Hodges. The Dolphins scored four of the next five points to take the match 28-26.

Match 2: Florida Atlantic 3, Tarleton 1 (27-25, 25-16, 23-25, 25-13)

The second match of the day proved difficult for Tarleton as they fell 3-1.

FAU hit .305 and held the Texans to just .117 on the match. Tarleton tallied just four blocks on the match.

Schirpik once again led the way with a match-high 15 kills. Freshman Joselyn Roberson made the first start of her career and finished with a career-high 10 kills. Hodges added 18 assists and Matti Theurer had nine.

The first set saw FAU leading most of the way, but Tarleton went on a 4-0 run down 24-20 to tie it and put pressure on the Owls. FAU scored three of the next four to take the set 27-25.

Tarleton took set three. It was the lone set that they topped FAU in kills with 13 to the Owls 12. After an 8-7 FAU lead, Tarleton fought back and never relinquished the lead again. Freshman Emma Burke had the last two points of the set for Tarleton, both kills, to secure the set win.