Paul Smith
Sports Information Director

   DENTON, Texas --- The University of Arkansas at Monticello Cotton Blossoms (4-8) dropped a pair of matches on the final day of the Texas Woman’s University tournament, falling 3-0 to tournament host Texas Woman’s University, and then falling 3-0 to Midwestern State in the tournament finale.

   In the opener, the Blossoms fell 30-24, 30-27, and 30-24 to Texas Woman’s. Kameshia Melton, senior, and Taura Rush, junior, both posted eleven kills for the Cotton Blossoms, while Vikki Crisco, freshman, led UAM with 26 assists, and Maegan Martin, junior, dished out 11 assists.

   Both Sara Kindred , sophomore and MacKenzie Willis, junior, had 10 digs in the loss for UAM.

   In the finale, the Blossoms were swept 30-22, 30-25, and 30-20 by Midwestern State. Melton led UAM with 12 digs, while Martin dished out 34 assists. Martin added 16 digs while Willis added ten.

   The Cotton Blossoms will return to action on Wednesday, September 12, as they host Grambling at Steelman Fieldhouse. The match is scheduled for 6 p.m.

BLOSSOMS SWEPT ON OPENING DAY OF TWO TOURNAMENT

The University of Arkansas at Monticello Cotton Blossoms (4-6) got off to a shaky start at the Texas Woman’s University tournament, dropping a 3-1 decision to Southwestern Oklahoma in the tournament opener, and a 3-2 decision to Southeastern Oklahoma in the day’s finale.

In the opener, after dropping the first game to Southwestern Oklahoma 30-27, the Cotton Blossoms rallied to take a dominant 30-16 victory in game two to knot the match at one game apiece. However, the Bulldogs responded by winning games three and four 30-26 and 33-31 to take the victory.

Taura Rush, junior, and Kameshia Melton, senior, both posted a match-high 18 kills. MacKenzie Willis, junior, added ten kills in the loss. Maegan Martin, junior, had 53 assists while leading UAM with 25 digs. Keri Gilbert, freshman, Rush, Nicole Ferguson, sophomore, Willis, and Sara Kindred, sophomore, all added double-digit digs, posting 18, 14, 12, 11, and 11 digs respectively.

In the day’s finale, the Cotton Blossoms rolled out to a 2-0 lead against Southeastern Oklahoma after 30-23 and 30-26 wins, but the Savage Storm rallied to win games three and four 30-26, 30-27. The Savage Storm clinched the victory with a 15-8 victory in the fifth game.

Melton led UAM with 15 kills, while Willis added 14 in the losing effort. Martin added 35 assists, while Kindred posted a career high 26 digs, more than doubling her previous career high of 12 set against Central Missouri during the 2006 season. Willis, Martin, and Gilbert also posted double-digit digs, adding 16, 13, and 10, respectively