LAKE CHARLES, La. — Sophomore McKenzie Adams hit a program-record .762 on the strength of a match-high 16 kills and UTSA swept McNeese State (25-19, 25-21, 25-21) on Saturday at Memorial Gym.
The league-leading Roadrunners (12-8, 6-0 SLC) not only continued their school-record start to the league slate, but they swept their sixth consecutive opponent for the first time since the 1988 campaign.
Adams had 21 errorless swings to lead UTSA to a .297 hitting percentage and redshirt junior Kelsey Schwirtlich handed out a match-best 36 assists.
UTSA posted a dozen total blocks and senior Kelsey Jewasko collected a match-high 12 digs.
The Birds led throughout the entire first set to claim the early lead. UTSA opened up a five-point advantage (17-12) as Schwirtlich set up senior Elise Huskey for a winner. The Cowgirls pulled within three (21-18) after Nicole Bowden registered a kill, but the Roadrunners responded with a 3-1 run to close out the frame.
UTSA broke a 16-all tie in the second panel when Adams slammed home a winner. From there, the Birds won eight of the next 13 points to take a commanding 2-0 lead into the break.
McNeese State (6-14, 1-5 SLC), which was limited to a .136 hitting percentage, held a 12-11 edge in the final stanza, but back-to-back kills by Huskey and junior Whitney Walls put the Roadrunners in front for good.
Bowden lead the Cowgirls with 14 kills and Rachel Cagnina added 12. Meanwhile, Becky Bekelja handed out 30 assists.
UTSA will open a four-match home stand on Thursday, Oct. 13, when it hosts Southeastern Louisiana (4-19, 0-6 SLC).
