| Freshman Kendra Rowland had a career-high 30 digs on Saturday. |
SAN ANTONIO ? UTSA used an all-around team effort and rallied from a 2-0 deficit against Sam Houston State on Saturday in its regular season home finale at the Convocation Center (25-30, 20-30, 30-26, 30-28, 15-13). The Roadrunners improved to 13-18 overall and 5-9 in Southland Conference play with the thrilling victory, while the Bearkats lost for the ninth time in their last 11 matches and fell to 11-16 (5-9 SLC).
After Sam Houston State picked up 30-25 and 30-20 victories in the first two games, UTSA went into the locker room searching for answers. The Roadrunners came out from the break and began to chip away. Freshman outside hitter Kendra Rowland (six) and junior middle hitter Victoria Prior (five) combined for 11 kills, as UTSA hit .269 en route to a four-point, game three victory. The next frame featured four ties and a quartet of lead changes and the Roadrunners scored the final three points of the game to send the match to a fifth-and-deciding stanza.
Just like the game before, it was a nip-and-tuck affair, as the two squads battled to seven ties and four lead changes. However, back-to-back kills by freshman setter Jordan White and Rowland after Sam Houston tied the game at 13 gave UTSA its fourth victory in the last five matches.
Prior led the comeback by hitting a match-best .381 on the strength of 20 kills to go along with a match-high seven total blocks (2 solo/5 assists). Rowland added 18 winners and a career-high 30 digs for her 16th double-double of the season, while junior libero Audrey Hiser collected 23 digs. White just missed a triple double with eight kills, 38 assists and 11 digs.
Outside hitter Cynthia Yarotsky led Sam Houston State with 17 kills and 24 digs and setter Megan McNamara handed out a match-high 50 assists.
The Roadrunners wrap up the regular season on the road next week. They travel to McNeese State for a 7 p.m. match on Friday and then head to Beaumont for a 1 p.m. contest at Lamar the following afternoon.