AUSTIN — Senior Elise Huskey recorded her team-leading seventh double-double of the season, sophomore McKenzie Adams posted a match-high 16 kills and UTSA picked up a 3-1 victory (25-18, 20-25, 25-20, 25-18) against SMU in Friday's opening match of the Time Warner Cable Texas Invitational.
Huskey posted 16 digs and 15 winners, while Adams tallied a match-best .467 hitting percentage in her 30 swings, as the Roadrunners (6-6) won the final two sets to claim the victory.
Redshirt junior Kelsey Schwirtlich handed out a match-high 46 assists and junior Brittney Malloy notched a career-high 10 kills to aide the UTSA offense.
Meanwhile, senior Kelsey Jewasko recorded 22 digs to pace the Roadrunners defensive effort and junior Megan Wimbish added 10 saves.
Huskey and junior Whitney Walls each posted five kills as the Roadrunners took the opening frame by seven points. UTSA never trailed and recorded a .234 hitting percentage to take the early lead.
UTSA was unable to take advantage of six winners from Adams and five more from Huskey in the second panel, as the Mustangs were able to even the match. The Birds held a slim 12-11 advantage, but SMU (4-6) tied the frame following a Caroline Daly winner and never looked back.
Adams netted another half dozen kills in the third set to help the Roadrunners take a 2-1 lead. UTSA raced out to a 12-6 edge after Malloy ended a long rally with a kill. The Mustangs were able to cut the lead to four (23-19), but Adams racked up two winners over the final three points to give the Birds a five-point win.
A 5-0 run gave the Roadrunners a 15-7 lead in the final stanza, but SMU reeled off a 7-2 stretch to pull within three. However UTSA finished off the match on an 8-4 spurt, which was capped off with back-to-back block assists by Malloy and Walls.
Jessica Oliver posted 13 winners, while Sidney Stewart collected a match-high 24 digs for the Mustangs.
UTSA continues tournament play on Saturday beginning with a 9 a.m. match against Santa Clara (3-5). The Roadrunners then will square off with eighth-ranked Texas (3-3) in a 7:30 p.m. televised contest that can be seen on the Longhorn Network.
