COLLEGE STATION — UTSA split day one of the Texas A&M Invitational with a 3-1 win (21-25, 25-17, 25-13, 25-20) over Tulane and a 3-1 loss (20-25, 16-25, 25-19, 21-25) to Iowa in the nightcap at Reed Arena.
In the season opener against Tulane, the Roadrunners got off to a slow start dropping the first set 25-21. UTSA opened on a 6-1 run but allowed the Green Wave to go on a 7-2 run to even the score. Tulane took the final lead on a block by Sarah Strasner and Lauren Etta, 10-9.
The Roadrunners (1-1) dominated the competition in the following two sets taking the second set 25-17 and the third 25-13. UTSA hit a match-high .538 in the third and held Tulane to a .094 attack percentage.
In the fourth set, UTSA battled to a 25-20 victory to seal the match win for the Roadrunners. Each team traded points in the beginning of the frame, which ultimately featured eight ties and three lead changes.
Tulane (0-1) recorded the final tie at the 12-all mark, but an attack error by the Green Wave gave the Roadrunners a one-point advantage, giving way to three straight points for UTSA. A kill by Dempsey Thornton sealed the win.
Jordan Kotara led three Roadrunners in double figures as the junior registered career-highs in kills (14) and digs (13). Posting the only other double-double on the team was Jordan Waldrip with 45 assists and 14 digs.
Thornton added 12 kills while Kylie Schott tallied 11 for the offense. UTSA hit .228 for the match while holding Tulane to a .120 hitting percentage.
Defensively, four Roadrunners posted double-digit digs with Annie Kunes recording 18 digs. Daniella Villarreal added 14 to go with Kotara’s 13 and Waldrip’s 14. The Roadrunners out-dug Tulane 77-56. At the net, TU out-blocked the Roadrunners 7-4.
Sarah Ray led the Green Wave with 13 kills, six digs and two blocks.
In the Roadrunners’ nightcap against Iowa, UTSA dropped a 3-1 decision. The Roadrunners dropped the first two sets, 25-20 and 25-16, but came back in the third with a 25-19 win.
The Roadrunners scored three straight points to start the frame but was broken up on a block by the Hawkeyes. After three ties, the final at the 13-all mark on a kill by Kotara, the Roadrunners and Hawkeyes traded points until UTSA went on an 8-3 run to close the set for the win.
UTSA was unable to keep the momentum going in the fourth, falling 25-21.
Freshman Marijeta Runjic recorded her first double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs.
UTSA was held to a .137 hitting percentage while Iowa hit .286 for the match.
The Roadrunners will conclude the Texas A&M Invitational on Saturday when they take on the host Aggies at 3 p.m.