Aggies clinch fifth LSC North Division crown

MATCH BOXSCORE >>

LAWTON, Okla. (Oct. 30) - Sophomore Taran Turner tied a career high with 18 kills and the Cameron volleyball team extended its winning streak to 10 Saturday, turning back Midwestern State 3-1 in Lone Star Conference North Division play.

Cameron won by scores of 30-14, 29-31, 30-22, 30-28, to improve to 18-10 overall and a perfect 9-0 in the LSC North.

The win, coupled with Central Oklahoma's loss to Texas Woman's University on Saturday, gave the Aggies thier fifth LSC North title and their first outright league crown since 2000.

Coach Kim Vinson, coaching the final regular season home game of her storied career at Cameron, watched as her squad shot out of the gates with a .400 hitting effort in the opening set. Cameron blasted 15 kills, including four by sophomore Tayler Turner, and limited Midwestern State to a .000 attack percentage to take a 1-0 lead in the match.

But Midwestern, which was the last team to take a set from the Aggies this season, battled back. Kate Pence recorded seven of her match-high 20 kills in the second set for the Lady Indians, helping to even the match score.

Cameron stormed back with another superb offensive effort in Game 3, posting a .412 team hitting percentage in the frame with 15 kills and just one error. Senior Morgan Meyer provided much of the damage, getting seven kills with no errors in 10 attempts in the set.

The Aggies used back-to-back kills from Taran Turner and Meyer midway through the fourth set to build a 27-21 lead, but Midwestern closed the game with a quick 4-0 run. The Lady Indians fought off two match points late in the game, including a block by LaToya Terry and Melissa Minus that made it 29-28. But Taran Turner found an open space on the court, ending the match with tipped kill to give the Aggies the win.

Taran Turner led the Aggies with 18 kills and a .455 attack percentage in the match. Sister Tayler Turner added 10 kills and a match-high 22 digs - many of which were of the diving, point-saving variety. Meyer finished with 17 kills and 11 digs for her 16th double-double of the season.

Senior libero Jenny Head collected 19 digs and sophomore setter Vicki Ibarra matched her season high with 55 assists.

Midwestern State got 20 kills and 20 digs from Pence, while setter Whitney Johansen added 49 assists. MSU outblocked the Aggies 6-4 and had 85 total digs to Cameron's 78.

Cameron will enter the final week of the regular season on one of the team's finest hot streaks. The Aggies have won 17 of their last 19 matches and have lost only three sets in conference play. Vinson's squad will travel to Dallas for a non-conference matchup with Dallas Baptist on Tuesday, before finishing up conference play with a visit to Central Oklahoma on Thursday, Nov. 4. Regardless of the outcome in that match, Cameron will win the divisional crown for the second straight year and host this year's conference tournament at Aggie Gym.

As the top seed from the North Division, Cameron will receive a first-round bye in the six-team event. Quarterfinal matches will be played Thursday, Nov. 11, with the semifinal matches scheduled for the following evening. The 2004 Lone Star Conference championship will be decided on Saturday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m.