NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The UTSA volleyball team (6-6, 0-0 The American) started off the SFA Tournament with a sweep over McNeese (25-21, 25-18, 25-22), ahead of a defeat at the hands of host-school Stephen F. Austin (20-25, 25-16, 25-18, 25-19) inside Shelton Gym on Friday.
UTSA vs McNeese
The Roadrunners took down the Cowgirls (4-6, 0-0 SLC) to start the day, as freshman Ally Tribe posted a match-high 13 kills, while sophomore Kai Bailey and newcomer Martina Franco each logged nine.
Defensively, Bailey swatted three of the opposition's attacks, one less than Mia Soerensen, who led the team with four. Sophomore Annika Sokol worked a double-double to the tune of 32 assists and 10 digs, while senior Aliah Giroux joined her in scooping 10 attacks.
After a back-and-forth start to the first, the 'Runners saw back-to-back kills for Tribe and Soerensen to work a 21-19 lead. Another Tribe termination shortly after kept UTSA in front, ahead of successful attacks by Bailey and Sokol that prompted a 25-21 win.
McNeese jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the second stanza, but a trio of Bailey kills helped the 'Runners issue an 8-8 tie. After exchanging blows, a Tribe kill sparked a five-point swing that put UTSA up 15-10. The Cowgirls battled back, earning a 17-17 tie. The Roadrunners then rattled off six straight in a run that featured multiple Franco kills and propelled the team to a 25-18 victory.
Neither team could gain an inch in a tightly contested third set until a Franco kill followed a Soerensen termination for a 17-14 UTSA lead. McNeese kept things close, as an ace for Franco and another kill for Soerensen put the squad up, 23-21. The Cowgirls found a point before a successful Franco attack and a McNeese miscue handed the Roadrunners a 25-22 win and a sweep.
UTSA vs Stephen F. Austin
The 'Runners fell to the Ladyjacks (7-5, 0-0 SLC) in four sets despite Soerensen leading the match with 13 kills, three aces, and three blocks. Not far behind, Franco totaled 11 terminations and 14 digs, while Sokol dished out 32 assists.
It was all UTSA in the first frame, as Franco and Soerensen each logged multiple kills en route to an 8-5 score. Another flurry of successful attacks later put UTSA up 20-16, and a four-point surge that saw a Franco termination and a Tribe ace resulted in a 24-17 score line. A final Bailey kill then capped off a 25-20 set victory.
SFA jumped out to an 8-2 advantage in the second stanza, and they never looked back, working a 14-7 advantage. UTSA attempted a comeback, with a kill for Bailey, back-to-back Soerensen aces, and a Ladyjack error working a 21-15 score. SFA, however, finished things off with a 25-16 win, tying the contest.
Similarly, the Ladyjacks built a 7-2 cushion to open the third; they then kept UTSA at arms-length en route to a 25-18 victory.
Consecutive Sokol kills worked a 6-6 tie in the fourth, ahead of a 6-1 run that allowed a freshman Caroline Tredwell/Soerensen block to issue a 13-9 Roadrunner lead. Senior Alicia Coppedge sent back a Ladyjack attack shortly after, working a five-point lead, before SFA caught fire, scoring in 14 of the subsequent 17 rallies for a 25-19 win as well as the match.
The Roadrunners will wrap up the nonconference slate on Saturday as they face Boise State at 11 a.m., concluding the tournament.
Keep up with UTSA Volleyball on goutsa.com, and by following the program on Facebook at /UTSAVBall, Twitter @UTSAVolleyball, and on Instagram @utsa_vb.
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