Trojans Dealt Three-Set Loss to SMU

DALLAS – Little Rock (0-3) battled hard in its final match of the weekend against SMU (2-1), but it was dealt a three-set loss (22-25, 23-25, 22-25) on Saturday afternoon at Moody Coliseum.
 
Carolee Dillard was the Trojans' impact player as she put up 10 total blocks (four solo and six assisted) for the match. She was named to the All-Tournament Team for her great performance as she tallied 23 total blocks over three matches (2.09 per set).
 
The match got off to a tight start as both teams stayed within three points for the duration of the set. Little Rock was first to 10 and 20, but SMU hung tight with the Trojans and eventually took the lead for good at 22-21. Little Rock was a force at the net as it outblocked SMU 6-1.
 
The second set was a near-carbon copy of the first as both squads kept within four points of each other. The Trojans last lead came at 16-15 as the Mustangs held on for the rest of the frame. Marina Avram had four kills during the set while Dillard had four blocks (one solo and three assisted). Dillard ended the frame with seven total blocks (two solo and five assisted) for the match.
 
The Trojans began to unravel in the third set as SMU took a 10-point lead at 15-5 and later took an 11-point lead at 19-8. Little Rock fought back and brought the deficit down to two at 24-22, but a final kill by SMU ended the match.
 
Avram ended the match with a team-high eight kills while Veronica Marin had a team-high .286 hitting percentage with four kills on 14 swings. Aubrey Wilson recorded her second straight double-double with team highs for assists (14) and digs (10) while tallying six block assists.
 
As a whole, Little Rock dominated SMU at the net as the Trojans put up 17 blocks compared to the Mustangs' four.
 
Little Rock will return to action at home against Oklahoma on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m., for the first match of the Little Rock Invitational.