CANYON, Texas (November 9) – After a very impressive late-season run, the Cameron Aggie volleyball team (14-16, 6-6 LSC) ended their season tonight after being knocked from the Lone Star Conference Championship tournament. CU’s playoff loss came courtesy of a 3-0 sweep at the hands of the Bronchos of the University of Central Oklahoma (31-5, 11-1 LSC). The match lasted under an hour and a half and was scored 30-25, 30-20, 30-25.
“UCO played a very good match,” Head Coach John Haroun said. “We got frustrated and tired a bit, but we played a good first game. Give it to UCO though, they played extremely well. Our team has come a long way but we could have played better today.”
In game one the Aggies and Bronchos were within three points for most of the game. It wasn’t until UCO went up 20-17 that they started to pull away with ten of the final eighteen points. Game two saw Cameron hold a few slim leads until Central Oklahoma took control and went up 28-16. The Bronchos started the third and final frame on an early 6-0 run and never looked back.
Cameron won their quarterfinal match versus Midwestern State yesterday before losing to UCO this evening. Cameron was the #6 seed entering the tournament while UCO was the #2 seed. The Aggies and Bronchos matched up twice already this season, with the two previous matches going down as 3-0 sweeps by UCO.
“A few people could have stepped up a bit more but that’s how it goes,” Coach Haroun said. “There is a reason UCO is 31-5. They were the better team.”
Senior outside hitter Fernanda Queiroz, playing in her final game as a Cameron Aggie, led the Aggies offensively with 11 kills. She attacked the net 39 times with 5 errors for a .154 attack percentage. Queiroz also had 8 defensive digs and 3 block-assists.
“Fey (Queiroz) played a great match,” Coach Haroun said. “Her passing and hitting was just on. She played with a lot passion.”
Sophomore right-side hitter Lindsay Paziuk also had a solid game offensively as she recorded 8 kills on 18 attacks with just 3 errors for a team-high .278 attack percentage. Paziuk’s 9 defensive digs and single assist also contributed.
Leading the Aggies defensively once again was junior libero Haley Hatch. Hatch recorded a team-high 18 defensive digs. She also had 1 assist.
Middle blockers Whitney Long (junior) and Ruth Johnson (freshman) both finished the match with 7 kills. Long recorded 22 attacks with 4 errors for a .136 attack percentage while Johnson totaled 37 attacks with 9 errors for a -.054 attack percentage. Long also contributed 4 block-assists; Johnson also recorded an assist, a defensive dig, a block-solo, and a block-assist.
As mentioned previously, today’s semifinal loss effectively ended the 2007 Cameron Aggie volleyball season. The Aggies now enter the offseason portion of their schedule.
“We definitely played best towards the end of the year,” Coach Haroun said. “Our defense really stepped up and we really matured. This is all part of the growing process.”