Oct. 30, 2009
Box Score 
Season Stats
DALLAS (SMU) - It took the Mustangs 42 sets to create the 11-match home-winning streak Tulane snapped in four at Moody Coliseum Friday night. The Green Wave's 3-1 victory (18-25, 25-20, 25-20, 26-24) was the first defeat for the Mustangs in Dallas all season.
Trailing two sets to one in the fourth set, the Mustangs (17-8, 7-4 Conference USA) gave it everything they had, staying neck and neck with the Green Wave (15-6, 10-2 C-USA). With the score tied 14-14, Tulane scored four-straight points to take an 18-14 lead. With the margin still four, 20-16, the Mustangs charged hard, tying the set at 23-23. The Mustangs were able to fight off Tulane's first match point, tying the set 24-24, but the Green Wave blasted kills on the next two points to earn the win.
Dana Powell led the Mustangs with a match-high 20 kills, hitting .354 for the match, and added 18 digs for her 16th double-double of the season. Kathryn Wilkerson finished with 14 kills and 13 digs for her ninth double-double of the season, and Kelli Becerra posted 51 assists and 14 digs for her 14th double-double of the season. Kendra Kahanek had seven blocks in the match and had 12 kills.
The Mustangs brought the heat right from the start, jumping out to a 7-3 lead in the first set. Tulane battled to within one point, 12-11, but SMU turned up the fire, scoring five straight points to take a 17-12 advantage. The Mustangs never let the Green Wave get close again, taking the first set 25-18. Kendra Kahanek led the charge, scoring three kills in six attempts to go with three blocks. Dana Powell had four kills and four digs, while Kathryn Wilkerson put away three kills and recorded four digs.
In the second set, it was the Green Wave taking the first big advantage, breaking a 7-7 tie with a 10-2 run for a 17-9 lead. The Mustangs fought to get back into the match, but couldn't cut any further into the lead than four points, 22-18. Tulane went on to take the set 25-20 to even the match. Powell scored five kills and six digs in the set to lead the Mustangs, but it was the seven kills by Tulane's Ksenija Vlaskovic that were the difference in the set. SMU held the conference leader to just two kills in the first set.
The third set was nearly identical to the second, staying tight early before Tulane took a 10-5 lead. The Mustangs rallied, but could never string together the necessary points to get back in the set. The Mustangs couldn't get within three points the rest of the way, falling 25-20. Powell finished the set with five kills and four digs, and Wilkerson added four kills and seven digs, but it wasn't enough to slow down the Green Wave.
The Mustangs will have a day to regroup before hosting UTEP Sunday at 1 p.m. With a win over the Miners, SMU would clinch a spot in the Conference USA Tournament.
