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Box Score
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The North Texas volleyball team was on
the brink of the second NCAA Tournament bid in school history, but fell just short
in a 3-0 loss to No. 17 Western Kentucky in the Sun Belt Tournament final (25-17,
25-19, 25-22).
In what will go down as one of the greatest seasons in
school history, third seeded North Texas (25-12) advanced to its first Sun Belt
Tournament final but ran into a buzz saw in the top seeded Hilltoppers (32-3). WKU
lost just one set against Sun Belt foes all season, and hosted the SBC
Tournament on their home floor, E.A. Diddle Arena.
NT won the Sun Belt West Division title for the second time
in three year under Ken Murczek, and recorded 25 wins – the second most in
school history, and just one behind the school record set in 1977. The Mean
Green will have a chance to tie that mark when it faces SMU in the season finale
on Nov. 21 in Dallas.
Carnae Dillard, the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, led the
match with 18 kills to cap off an outstanding SBC Tournament. Dillard averaged
6.45 kills per set on .257 hitting and 2.73 digs per set in the league
showdown.
But the WKU combo of Paige Wessel and Jordyn Skinner were too
much for NT. The pair had 11 kills each in leading the Hilltoppers to a .229
team attack percentage and their second straight Sun Belt championship.
NT’s Courtney Windham and Karissa Flack posted team-high
four kills, while Shelby Tamura posted a match-high-tying 14 digs.
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