UCO volleyball ousted in LSC Tournament

CANYON, Texas (Nov. 11) – A third-set rally fell short as Central Oklahoma was bounced from the Lone Star Conference Volleyball Championships by Angelo State here Thursday afternoon.

The sixth-seeded Bronchos fell to the No. 3 Rambelles 25-19, 25-16, 26-24 in the first round of the eight-team tournament and ended up 20-11 in their final season as LSC members.  UCO will play as NCAA Division II independents next year before joining the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association in 2012-13.

“We don’t really match up well with Angelo State, but we battled hard and who knows what could have happened if we would have pulled out that third set,” UCO coach Jeff Boyland said.  “We had a good season and it’s disappointing to see it end, but I’m proud of this team and we’re looking forward to the future.”

Zuela Adom led the Bronchos with a match-high 13 kills while adding three blocks. Alex Richardson added four kills and four blocks, Halie Harrington had four kills without and error and Tate Hardaker made 15 digs.

The Bronchos had an early 8-2 lead in the third set before the Rambelles roared back to seemingly take control, building a 22-19 lead as they looked to close out the match.

But UCO battled back, reeling off five straight points behind two Morgan Roy service aces, a Fleming Smurthwaite kill and a combined blocked by Courtney Whitlow and Kristen Wilson to surge in front 24-22.

ASU answered right back to prevent the Bronchos from staying in the match, getting the serve back on an error and then scoring three straight kills to close it out.

UCO led in the early stages of the opening set and it was tied 16-16 after an ASU error, but the  Rambelles scored four straight points to take control and then led all the way in winning the second set to put the Bronchos on the ropes.

It was the final match for three seniors – Adom, Whitlow and Wilson.