| Sophomore Kendra Rowland had a double-double of 15 kills and 11 digs on Saturday. |
SAN ANTONIO ? Sophomore outside hitter Kendra Rowland posted her team-leading 12th double-double of the season and UTSA ended a 16-match losing streak to Stephen F. Austin with a convincing 25-18, 25-20, 25-21 victory in front of 358 fans on Saturday at the Convocation Center.
The Roadrunners improved to 13-8 overall and 5-2 in Southland Conference play in defeating the Ladyjacks for the first time since Oct. 26, 2000. UTSA now has won 12 of its last 14 contests dating back to Sept. 10.
SFA, which entered the contest on a 13-match winning streak and a perfect 6-0 in league play, dropped to 15-4 in losing for the first time since Sept. 5. It also marked the first time the Ladyjacks have been swept in a conference tilt since Oct. 23, 2003, a span of 84 matches.
UTSA, which recorded a season-high .358 hitting percentage (previous: .293, vs. Ball State), came out of the gates on fire and never let up. The Roadrunners hit at least 30 percent in all three sets and had just nine errors on 106 attacks overall.
Rowland had a match-high 15 kills on just 29 swings and, coupled with her lone error, hit a .483. Meanwhile, junior middle hitter Stefanie Robbins added 11 winners on 22 attacks and had just one error to give her a .455 swing percentage.
The Birds were just as strong defensively, as four players had 11 or more digs and three had at least three blocks.
Senior defensive specialist Audrey Hiser and freshman outside hitter Elise Huskey led the way with 13 digs apiece, while freshman libero Kelsey Jewasko and Rowland collected 11. At the net, Huskey, Robbins and sophomore middle hitter Valorie Rogers each racked up three block assists, as UTSA had a half dozen as a team.
Amber Williams-Roberts led the Ladyjacks with a dozen digs and nine kills.
UTSA is back in action on Thursday, Oct. 23, when it travels to Natchitoches, La., to face Northwestern State in a 7 p.m. match at Prather Coliseum.