Sports Information Director
FLORENCE, Ala. ---
The University of Arkansas at Monticello Cotton Blossoms (17-15) came
up just short in their Gulf South Conference Tournament opening-round
contest against tournament host North Alabama, dropping a 3-2 decision
to the Lions on Friday night in Florence. The loss eliminates the Cotton
Blossoms from the GSC tournament.
After the Blossoms picked
up a 30-22 victory in game one, UNA knotted the match in the second game
with a 30-19 victory. UAM pulled ahead 2-1 with a 30-25 victory in the
third game, but once again the Lions tied the match after a 30-23 win in
game four.
The Lions won a
back-and-forth 15-13 decision in the fifth game to seal their victory.
Katherine Taju
(Sr., Panama City, Panama) led all players with 22
kills. Amanda Sayre (Sr., Del City, Okla.) added 17 kills and Kameshia
Melton (Sr., Grapevine, Texas) added 13. Maegan Martin (So., Burnet,
Texas) dished out 50 assists, while Taju led UAM with 26 digs.
Also notching double-digit
digs were Sayre (19), Amie Kronk (Sr., San Antonio, Texas) (18), Martin
(17) and Courtney Fletcher (Fr., Eddy, Texas) (12).
The
loss likely ends the season for the Cotton Blossoms, who are not
expected to earn a berth in the NCAA tournament.
BLOSSOMS SWEEP GRAMBLING
GRAMBLING, La. --- Amanda Sayre (Sr., Del City, Okla.) notched 15
kills to lead the University of Arkansas at Monticello Cotton Blossoms
(17-14) to a 3-0 sweep of the Grambling Lady Tigers Monday night in
Grambling, La.
The Blossoms swept the match by scores of 30-25, 30-18 and 30-24.
Grambling’s Lacey Cormier led all players with 18 kills. Kameshia
Melton (Jr., Grapevine, Texas) added 11 kills, and Katherine Taju (Sr.,
Panama City, Panama) added 10 in the victory. Maegan Martin (So.,
Burnet, Texas) dished out 32 assists, while Taju led UAM with 18 digs
and Amie Kronk (Sr., San Antonio, Texas) added 12.
UAM out-hit Grambling .391 to .206, hitting at a .520 clip in the
second game.
The win concludes the regular season for the Cotton Blossoms, who
will now prepare to face GSC-East Champion North Alabama in the opening
round of the Gulf South Conference tournament on Friday, Nov. 3. The
match is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
BLOSSOMS STOP CHRISTIAN BROTHERS, QUALIFY FOR GSC TOURNAMENT
Led by a 29-kill performance from Taju, the Cotton Blossoms picked
up a 3-1 victory over the Christian Brothers University Lady Buccaneers
Oct. 27 at Steelman Fieldhouse on Senior Day. With the win, the Blossoms
earn the fourth and final seed from the West Division for the Gulf South
Conference Championship Tournament.
Taju notched her 500th kill of the season in the opening game.
The Blossoms picked up a 30-23 victory in the opening game, but the
Lady Bucs tied the match at 1-1 with a 33-31 victory in game two. UAM
outhit CBU .667 to .033 in game three en route to a 30-13 rout, and
picked up a 30-24 victory in the fourth game to seal the match victory.
Sayre added 20 kills and Melton added 13. Martin dished out 64
assists and Kronk led UAM with 15 digs. Sayre (15) and Taju (12) both
added double-digit digs.
BLOSSOMS SNAP SEVEN-MATCH SKID, TOP SAU
MAGNOLIA --- Taju led the Cotton Blossoms with 25 kills as the
Blossoms topped Southern Arkansas 3-1 at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center
Oct. 24. The win snapped a seven-match losing streak for the Cotton
Blossoms.
The Blossoms picked up a 31-29 victory in the opening game, but the
Lady Muleriders knotted the contest in the second game with a 30-22
victory. UAM closed out the match with 30-23 and 30-27 victories in
games three and four.
Taju’s 25 kills led all players. Sayre added 15 kills and Melton
added 10. Martin dished out 46 assists, while Kronk added 36 digs. Taju
(24), Sayre (21), Martin (16) and Kara Simnacher (Fr., Victoria, Texas)
(14) added double-digit digs.
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