SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA volleyball team is set to host a pair of American Athletic Conference bouts in the Convocation Center this week, with UAB visiting for a 4 p.m. Homecoming contest on Friday, ahead of a Cancer Awareness match with Tulsa on Sunday at noon. As a part of the festivities, the first 200 students with a valid voucher will receive a limited-edition bucket hat on Friday, and
The Roadrunners (6-13, 0-6 The American) will look to snap an eight-match skid after falling to Tulane (25-18, 25-23, 25-22) and North Texas (25-23, 12-25, 25-12, 25-13) last week.
Junior Mia Soerensen and sophomore Kai Bailey paced the team offensively, each working 20 kills, while Bailey maintained a .486 hitting percentage with a squad-high three blocks. Classmate Peyton Turner aided the defense with 36 digs as sophomore Annika Sokol worked 32 assists and freshman Morgen Durgens 31.
On the season, Bailey holds a .362 hitting percentage that sits second in The American, and Soerensen’s 67 blocks are third. Bailey also ranks in the top five on the blocking leader board, with 1.04 blocks per set slotting her fourth. As a team, UTSA is fourth in both blocks per set (2.2) and digs per set (15.2), and 1,063 total digs are third.
The Blazers (7-10, 2-4 The American) carry momentum into the matchup, picking up a pair of sweeps over Temple (25-21, 25-19, 25-22) and Charlotte (25-19, 25-17, 25-8) to break what was an eight-match losing streak.
Madison Page has been red-hot, earning AAC Defensive Player of the Week honors after averaging 1.50 blocks per set across the victories. Kelsey Smith was also recognized by the league office with 11.83 assists per set, placing her on the Honorable Mention list.
Page serves as The American’s leader with 1.13 blocks per set, and 68.0 total blocks rank her second. Smith has posted two triple-doubles for the eight-most in the NCAA, and 373 assists lead the team. Jorda Crook has logged 208 successful attacks, while Brooklyn Allison tops the squad with 169 digs and Delany Bowser has worked 22 service aces.
The Golden Hurricane (7-10, 2-4 The American) are third in the AAC standings coming off a week that saw a victory over Florida Atlantic (25-23, 25-17, 19-25, 25-21) and a heartbreaking loss against South Florida (25-19, 18-25, 25-21, 23-25, 15-12).
17.3 digs per set rank 14th nationally, and Tulsa also leads the league in opponent hitting percentage (.179), team attacks per set (37.0) and total digs (1,157).
Individually, Marta Pecalli averages 4.82 scoops each frame, slotting her 24th nationally, with 323 digs across the campaign, placing her 30th. Tatyana Johnson is second on the blocks per set leader board, boasting 1.10 and Brittany Bacorn is second as well, charting 0.44 aces per set.
Tornatta Taum is the squad leader in kills with 171, and Beth Bayless is not far behind with 134. The bulk of those terminations have come via Brayden Hipp sets, as she’s amassed 463 helpers this year.
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