NORFOLK, Va. – The UTSA volleyball team picked up their first victory of the new campaign on Saturday, cruising past Marist 25-18, 25-15, 25-12 on the final day of competition at the Quest for the Crown at the ODU Volleyball Complex.
The Roadrunners (1-2, 0-0 The American) were firing on all cylinders, boasting a .312 hitting percentage while holding the Red Foxes (0-3, 0-0 MAAC) to just .022.
Junior Mia Soerensen led the way with nine kills, while sophomore Kai Bailey was not far behind with eight, converting at an .800 clip. Soerensen also got the job done defensively, posting five blocks, and freshman Caroline Tredwell topped the match with seven. Redshirt senior Aliah Giroux paced the contest in digs for the third consecutive match, scooping 14 off the opposition's attacks. Additionally, newcomer Morgen Durgens recorded 17 assists, and sophomore Makenna Wiepert totaled 14.
After a back-and-forth start to the contest, a kill for Soerensen and a freshman Martina Franco ace handed UTSA a 12-8 advantage. Consecutive Tredwell terminations shortly after put the 'Runners up five before the Red Foxes battled back, tying the frame at 18. UTSA swiftly responded as a senior Faye Wilbricht kill kick-started a seven-score surge that saw a 25-18 win for the Roadrunners.
UTSA jumped out on the front foot to open the second stanza with kills by Soerensen and Bailey, helping build a 6-2 lead. Marist trimmed their deficit to three, ahead of a 7-0 UTSA run that allowed a Tredwell/Soerensen block to issue a 19-9 score line. The 'Runners finished the set strong as a Franco kill capped off a 25-15 victory.
The Roadrunner momentum carried into the third frame, as multiple Wiepert aces led to a 5-0 lead, ahead of a Franco termination that saw a 14-4 advantage and forced a Red Fox timeout. From there, UTSA kept their foot on the gas, securing a 25-12 win as well as the match.
The 'Runners head back to the Alamo City, where they'll make their home debut on Wednesday, hosting Texas State in an I-35 Showdown at 6 p.m.
Keep up with UTSA Volleyball on goutsa.com, and by following the program on Facebook at /UTSAVBall, Twitter @UTSAVolleyball, and on Instagram @utsa_vb.
-UTSA-