TYLER, Texas -- UT Tyler honored its four seniors prior to Friday's final home match of the season, but even a three-set defeat to Texas A&M-Commerce couldn't spoil the celebration of an accomplished quartet of four-year seniors.

The Patriots led in all three sets, but Texas A&M-Commerce posted the 25-21, 25-17, 25-19 sweep behind a highly-efficient offense which produced a .330 hitting percentage for the match. The Lions' defense rose to the occasion, as well, producing 11 blocks in the three-set sweep.

With the defeat, UT Tyler drops to 10-15 overall, 5-12 in Lone Star Conference play, and 2-7 within the division. Texas A&M-Commerce improves to 23-5 overall, 15-2 in the Lone Star Conference, and 8-1 in the division. The teams will meet again Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. in Commerce.

How It Happened: Taylor Stoops opened the match with an ace, but that was UT Tyler's only lead of the opening set, as Texas A&M-Commerce scored 13 of the next 17 points to build an 8-point edge. The Patriots got within 4 on a Kayla McCoy kill which cut the lead to 17-13, but UT Tyler never got that close again until the Lions were just one point away from the win. The Patriots slashed a 24-16 deficit down to just a 3-point margin, 24-21, with five consecutive points before Destiny Greenwood finished off the 25-21 win with one of her eight kills in the match.

There were nine lead changes in the second set, all before either team reached 10 points, but A&M-Commerce answered a 9-8 deficit with five straight points to take the lead for good in a 25-17 win. There were another four lead changes in the third set, again all early in the set, as the Lions produced an 8-2 run to take a 10-5 lead. Kylee Becker had a kill and teamed with Maiya Peña for a block to help cut the lead to 10-8. A Hattie Murray kill later in the set kept the Patriots within 3, 14-11, but that was the closest UT Tyler got the rest of the way in a 25-19 defeat to end the match.

Honoring Seniors: In a pregame ceremony, UT Tyler honored a four-player senior class which was its first senior class to compete in Division II and the Lone Star Conference. The 2019 senior class included: Kyana Alvarez, Makenna Bartlett, Kaitlyn Budisalovich, and Kayla McCoy.

By The Numbers: Texas A&M-Commerce produced the best attack percentage in a match by any UT Tyler opponent this season, finishing the match at .330… Both teams finished with an identical digs total of 51… UT Tyler served four aces, surrendering just one to Lion serves for a .985 passing percentage… A&M-Commerce registered 11 team blocks.

UT Tyler Stat Leaders: One of the Patriots' seniors, Kayla McCoy, finished with a team-high 7 kills, while fellow senior Kyana Alvarez added 4 kills and 9 digs. Maiya Peña notched 6 kills and had a hand in all five of UT Tyler's blocks. Savannah Guzman led the Patriots in digs with 13, and Brianna Bellehumeur added 10 digs with an ace. Taylor Stoops registered 26 assists and served 3 aces, all in the opening set.

Texas A&M-Commerce Stat Leaders: Shelley Chapron finished with 11 kills without an error in 16 attack attempts, finishing with a .688 attack percentage, and she added a match-high 6 blocks for the Lions. Four others registered at least 8 kills, including another errorless 8-kill effort from Destiny Greenwood. Savannah Rutledge recorded a match-high 23 digs, including 15 in the second set alone.

What's Next: The 2019 season concludes Saturday, Nov. 16, when UT Tyler wraps up the two-match divisional rivalry set against Texas A&M-Commerce at 2 p.m.