Paul Smith
Sports Information Director

SAN ANTONIO, Texas --- The University of Arkansas at Monticello Cotton Blossoms (3-1) picked up a second place finish at the St. Mary’s/Texas MedClinic Invitational after topping Indiana (Pa.) 3-2 in Saturday’s opening game and then falling 3-0 to No. 12 Central Missouri in the championship game.

   In the opening contest against IUP, UAM jumped out to a 2-0 match lead after winning the first two games 30-26 and 30-20, before IUP took charge and won games three and four 30-22, 30-25. However, the Cotton Blossoms would start the fifth and deciding game hot en route to a 15-8 victory.

    Kameshia Melton (Sr., Grapevine, Texas) led all players with 22 kills. Taura Rush (Jr., Joseph City, Ariz.) added 10 kills, while Maegan Martin (Jr., Burnet, Texas) dished out 44 assists and led UAM with 18 digs. Stephanie Hatten (Fr., Baytown, Texas) added 16 digs while Rush contributed 13 to the winning effort.

   The Blossoms ran into a surging Central Missouri team in the tournament’s championship game, and the twelfth-ranked Jennies were too much for UAM, sweeping past the Blossoms 30-19, 30-19, 30-22.

   Melton led UAM with 10 kills, while Martin dished out a team-best 22 assists. MacKenzie Willis (Jr., Andrews, Texas) led UAM with 15 digs while Rush added 10.

   The Cotton Blossoms will return to action Friday, Aug. 31 as they travel to Austin, Texas for the St. Edward’s University Volleyball Classic. UAM will face Northwest Missouri and Southwestern Oklahoma on the opening day of the tournament, and will conclude action on Saturday against Nova Southeastern and St. Edward’s.

Blossoms Open Season with Sweep

   Maegan Martin (Jr., Burnet, Texas) broke the University of Arkansas at Monticello career record for games played as the Cotton Blossoms (2-0) opened their 2007 season by sweeping past Cameron and St. Mary’s, beating Cameron 3-0 and then topping tournament host St. Mary’s 3-1 on the opening day of the St. Mary’s/Texas MedClinic Invitational.

   The Blossoms topped Cameron 30-27, 30-28, 30-28.  Kameshia Melton (Sr., Grapevine, Texas) led all players with 13 kills and a .524 hitting percentage. Martin dished out 33 assists, while MacKenzie Willis (Jr., Andrews, Texas) led UAM with nine digs. Nicole Ferguson (So., Brentwood, Tenn.) led the Blossoms with six service aces.

   In the finale, the Cotton Blossoms won the opening game 30-26, but dropped a 30-22 decision to St. Mary’s to even the match at a game apiece. UAM pulled ahead 2-1 with a 31-29 victory in the third game, and clinched the match with a 30-24 victory in the fourth game.

   The Rattlers’ Samantha Weber led all players with 18 kills, while Willis led UAM with 14 kills. Taura Rush (Jr., Joseph City, Ariz.) added 12 kills in the winning effort. Martin dished out 43 assists, tying the Rattlers’ Courtney Matula for the game high. Stephanie Hatten (Fr., Baytown, Texas) led UAM with 17 digs, while Rush and Martin added 11 and 10 digs, respectively. Sara Kindred (So., Frisco, Texas) led UAM with a .562 hitting percentage, notching nine kills with no hitting errors.