| Freshman Kendra Rowland tied her career high with 29 kills on Wednesday. |
SAN ANTONIO ? Freshman outside hitter Kendra Rowland tied her career high with 29 kills and led UTSA to a hard-fought five-game victory against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Wednesday night at the Convocation Center (32-30, 24-30, 30-28, 22-30, 15-11). The Roadrunners, who ended a four-match losing streak, improved to 10-17 overall and 2-8 in Southland Conference play.
The Islanders (4-19, 1-9 SLC) survived eight ties and six lead changes in game four to rally from a 2-1 deficit and send the match to a fifth and deciding game. However, UTSA scored the first three points of the final frame and never relinquished the lead. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi tied the game at eight, but the Roadrunners stretched the advantage to four with a side out and three consecutive points on junior setter Rebecca Hrapmann's serve. After the Islanders pulled within two at 13-11, Rowland's final winner of the night gave UTSA match point and Rowland and freshman middle hitter Valorie Rogers then combined for the match-clinching block of A&M-Corpus Christi outside hitter Christie Feliz' right-side attack.
With Rowland leading the way with 11 winners, the Roadrunners won the opening game after fending off a late charge by the Islanders. A&M-Corpus Christi rallied from a 25-20 deficit to knot the score at 30, but consecutive winners by Rowland and Hrapmann gave UTSA the deuce-game victory. The Islanders responded by hitting .239, serving up three aces and scoring eight of the final 12 points of game two to tie the match at one going into the locker room.
The third stanza featured six ties and a trio of lead changes as the two teams went back and forth for the first half of the frame. However, the Roadrunners took the lead for good at 14-13, but they had to again stave off a late Texas A&M-Corpus Christi charge. The Islanders fought off a quartet of UTSA game points after trailing 29-24, but a Meagan Luber service error at 29-28 gave the Roadrunners a 2-1 advantage heading into game four.
Junior Victoria Prior added 17 winners for UTSA, while Hrapmann and freshman setter Jordan White handed out 37 and 26 assists, respectively. Defensively, the Roadrunners were led by junior libero Audrey Hiser's 28 digs (seventh 20-plus effort of year) and Rogers' six total blocks (1 solo/5 assists). Hrapmann, freshman Dana Mecke and Rowland each collected 15 digs, as the Roadrunners eclipsed the century mark for the first time this season. Meanwhile, freshman outside hitter Briana Mason (0/4) and Prior (1/3) both recorded four blocks apiece.
Feliz racked up 19 kills for the Islanders, while setter Molly McCabe's dished out a match-high 40 assists and libero Laura North registered a match-best 29 digs.
UTSA continues its five-match home stand on Friday night when Southeastern Louisiana (10-12, 1-9 SLC) comes to the Convocation Center for a 6 p.m. contest.