Sept. 5, 2015
Box Score
Box Score 
Post-Match Quotes
Season Stats
NORMAN, Okla. - Just 12 hours after knocking off tournament host Oklahoma, the Mean Green volleyball team couldn't continue the momentum on Saturday, losing to the Little Rock Trojans in its last match of the weekend, 3-0 (23-25, 19-25, 23-25).
Simply put, North Texas (3-4, 0-0 C-USA) couldn't bring the same balanced attack that had benefitted the team in Friday's wins over Central Arkansas and Oklahoma.
"We had to have a couple players show up today and have better games than what they had," head coach Andrew Palileo said. "We just didn't have it, and that was a huge factor."
Little Rock (2-4, 0-0 Sun Belt) topped North Texas in kills (44-41), attack percentage (.195-.175) and assists (43-40) on the day, but the match wasn't as one-sided as the box score would indicate.
Two of the three sets ended with a score of 25-23. In set one, North Texas put together a three-point lead behind nine of senior Carnae Dillard's match-high 17 kills. But Little Rock fought back, scoring six of the last eight points to win the frame.
The Trojans' put together a convincing six-point win in the second set, but North Texas came out strong in the third and final frame. At one point the Mean Green had a string of eight straight points, but - tied at 23 a piece - Little Rock powered down two kills to take the match.
The Mean Green head home having finished 2-1 at the Oklahoma Nike Invitational. As Palileo & Co. move forward in the schedule, the North Texas head coach knows what he needs if his team is going to find success this season.
"All we can ask for is that our players compete, no matter the situation or score," Palileo said. "It's about coming out and representing North Texas the way we should represent North Texas."
Up Next For The Mean Green
North Texas is now only two days away from its first home match of the season. The UAB Blazers will visit the North Texas Volleyball Center for the Mean Green's first Conference USA match of 2015, set for 1 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 7.
Quick Hits
• Captains Dillard and Amy Henard each earned a spot on the 2015 Oklahoma Nike Invitational All-Tournament team.
• Sophomore Amanda Chamberlain continued to make an impact in the team's blocking. She had six of the Mean Green's 10.5 blocks on the day, a match high.
• With 17 kills and 11 digs, Dillard tallied her fifth double-double of the year.
• Sophomore Holly Milam was once again involved in multiple facets of the match. She ended the day with seven kills, five digs and two blocks.
|
|
 |
