Final Match Book (PDF)

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS – SMU won the Islanders Classic with a three-set sweep of Texas A&M – Corpus Christi (25-19, 25-21, 25-22) Saturday at the Dugan Wellness Center.

The Mustangs won all nine sets they played at the event, improving to 5-1 on the season, while the Islanders fell to 0-6.

Marieke van der Mark and Celia Cullen earned all-tournament honors. Mark hit a team-high .429, converting 24 of her 49 attempts, with five blocks and three digs.
Cullen dished out 93 assists – a 10.33 average per set – with 21 digs, three blocks and two service aces.

Trailing 2-0, Texas A&M – Corpus Christi appeared poised to creep back into the match by netting the six of the first seven points and forcing SMU to call a timeout. Facing their largest deficit of the tournament, SMU rallied with a 7-0 spurt after the stoppage, nudging in front 8-6. Knotted at 10-10, the visitors ran off seven of the next eight tallies, but the Islanders didn't go quietly. Dropping the second set 25-21, the most points scored by an SMU opponent in the event to that point, the host clawed back with in two at 24-22. Natalie Perdue slammed home the match winner on the fourth-match point opportunity.

The Mustangs converted 68% of their side-out chances and hit .351 in the first game and capitalized on four-attack errors and four miscues at the service line to claim a 25-19 triumph. Jamison Wheeler paced the offense with six kills on 12 swings.

Neither side built a cushion larger than four in the second set and a 3-0 run by the Islanders trimmed the deficit to 21-20. Back-to-back winners from Mark and Wheeler forced a stoppage by Texas A&M – Corpus Christi at 23-20. Following a point for the Islanders, Wheeler made it set point, which came on the next rally, an attack error by the home team.

Wheeler registered her sixth double-digit kills tally, with 13 on 33 attempts, finishing with a .333 hitting percentage. She added eight digs and one ace.

Perdue hit .409, notching 11 successful swings on 22 attempts, adding six digs.

Mark added 10 of 19 attempts, a solo block and one block assist.

Celia Cullen dished out 36 helpers, with five digs, two aces and one block assist.

The Mustangs continue their nine-match road swing at the USD Invitational, hosted by San Diego. SMU opens against the Toreros at 2 p.m. Friday. SMU faces
Utah at 7 p.m. and concludes the event against UCONN at 5 p.m. Saturday
 
Islanders Classic All-Tournament Team
Hannah Baker, SHSU
Catherine Krieger, SHSU
Celia Cullen, SMU
Marieke van der Mark, SMU
Mady Saris, IU
Savannah Kjolhede, IU
Leah Stolfus, AMCC
Faith Panhans, AMCC