CANYON, Texas – Sometimes it's just not meant to be.
 
For the third straight year, the MSU Denver volleyball team was denied a trip to the national tournament quarterfinals after being defeated by West Texas A&M in the South Central Regional final, this time a 3-2 heartbreaker on the Lady Buffs' home court Saturday night.

"Words can't express what this team has done over the last 12 months," MSU Denver coach Jenny Glenn said. "I'm really proud of how we competed. We were tough. We had an edge throughout the course of the match. We made really good adjustments. Unfortunately things didn't go our way at the wrong times.
 
"I just love this group of athletes. I can't say enough about who they are as people. It just seems to be a mountain that God hasn't moved for us yet, to overcome WT for a championship. This group of seniors have led the charge all year, and this doesn't take away from what we've accomplished."
 
MSU Denver played with the lead for most of the first four sets, winning the first and third, but was unable to hold on to five-point advantages late in the second and fourth.
 
West Texas A&M scored 12 of the final 17 points to win the second set 25-23, and 10 of the last 12 points to win the fourth set 25-22.
 
"WT has a way of doing that to you, especially on their homecourt when the crowd gets behind them," Glenn said. "I thought we quieted the crowd early in those sets, but a couple of things didn't go our way, and you've got to sideout quickly in those moments.
 
"But we let too many runs happen and let them get going and get some momentum. I thought we had them questioning themselves for a while, but when they stop questioning themselves they are tough to defend."
 
West Texas A&M jumped ahead early in the fifth set and closed out a 23-25, 25-23, 14-25, 25-22, 11-15 decision.
 
"We did everything we could," said outside hitter Rylee Hladky said, part of a four-player senior class, including three who compiled a five-year record of 121-23. "We stuck together, went by the game plan, and sometimes things don't go your way. I can live with that. Because we were fearless, and we went hard."
 
The previous two seasons, West Texas A&M knocked off MSU Denver on the Roadrunners' home court when MSU Denver was the regional's top seed. MSU Denver was in position to return the favor, leading 20-15 in the fourth set.
 
"We stuck together and everybody was firing," senior middle blocker Ember Canty said. "We were a threat no matter what."
 
Riley Anderson led MSU Denver with 20 kills, while Maddy Williams was outstanding with a career-best 19 kills on .472 hitting. Hladky added 15 kills and 14 digs.
 
"Maddy Williams stepped up in a big way tonight," Glenn said.
 
"We distributed the ball pretty well, but unfortunately at the key times we weren't quite able to execute because of different things. But overall, I'm really proud of our setters for their distribution and really proud of our newbies to the court who haven't been in this situation before (Williams, Abbie McCrimmon and Skyler Michael) but rose to the occasion."
 
Delaney Eckhardt had 26 assists, McCrimmon had 19 digs, Anderson served three of the Roadrunners' 10 aces, and Canty and senior Mikayla McClinton each had five blocks (one solo).
 
Anderson, Canty, Hladky and McCrimmon were all named to the all-tournament team.
 
It's the end of an era for Canty, Hladky and McClinton, as well as super-sub senior Maddie Lindsay, who spent her last two seasons as a Roadrunner.
 
 "I said in the locker room that I couldn't be more proud of this group of seniors," Glenn said. "They've built MSU Denver volleyball into what it is today. Three straight regional finals is a really hard thing to do, coming out of two of the toughest conferences in the country. Their accomplishments are a mile long.
 
"But the people that they are … greatness is bringing people along the journey with you, and that's our goal. We want to win volleyball matches, but we don't want to do it the wrong way. We want to be a light to our community and bring people on the train with us. We've done that right and left, and that's what the general public doesn't see. That's what I want people to know about MSU Denver volleyball.
 
"We are high-character, great people. And my four seniors have led the charge. … Their legacy is lasting."