DALLAS, Texas - In the final match of the DoubleTree Invitational, Stony Brook played its closest match of the weekend as the match went to four sets () in a loss to the hosting No. 11 SMU Mustangs. The Seawolves' win in set three marked the first time since 2016 vs. No. 21 Louisville that the team took a set from a ranked opponent.
Stony Brook is now .500 on the season at 3-3.
Kali Moore finished with 12 kills on the day to lead the Seawolves offense, while Madison Cigna paced the defense with 16 digs.
How It Happened
SET 1 | Initially falling behind 8-3 in the first set, the Seawolves battled back and cut the deficit to two at 12-10 after two kills from Moore and a kill and a block from Ava Zamora. Stony Brook eventually got within one point at 18-17 thanks to two more kills from Moore and another block from Zamora. This would be as close as it would get, though, as SMU won five of the next seven points to take set one.
SET 2 | Set two started out as close as it gets, as both teams traded points and ended up tied eight times all the way to a 9-9 score. Stony Brook only managed five more points in the remained of the set, however, as the Mustangs, buoyed by a 6-0 run, kept he pressure on and wound up taking the set 25-14.
SET 3 | Stony Brook got on the board after a victory in the third set to make it a 2-1 match. The closest set of the day, the Seawolves persevered in a back-and-forth set that featured eight lead changes and was tied 20 times. Neither team opened up a lead of more than two points along the way. A trio of early aces from Ayanna Pierre Louis, Cigna, and Zamora helped keep momentum in Stony Brook's favor as five different Seawolves recorded multiple kills. With the set deadlocked at 25-25, the Seawolves came away with the win after a kill from Pierre Louis and another successful setter dump from Zamora to clinch the set.
SET 4 | Unfortunately, Stony Brook could not keep the momentum going in for long in the fourth. With the set tied at 7-7, the Mustangs went on a 14-2 run that completely blew the set open as they went on to win it 25-11.
Game Notes
» Moore's 12 kills today bring her to 1213 in her career, officially putting her in the top 10 in program history.
» Lei Lasike made her first collegiate start today after not seeing action in the first five matches of the season. She finished with five kills.
» Stony Brook attackers were helped by a team-high 27 assists from Zamora.
Up Next
The Seawolves compete in another road tournament next week as they head to Smithfield, R.I. for the Bryant Invitational. Action begins next Friday at 3 p.m. when Stony Brook faces Army, followed by St. Thomas on Saturday at 10 a.m., and finally host Bryant on Sunday at 11 am.
