EL PASO — UTSA opened Conference USA action with a 25-23, 25-18, 25-21 sweep at UTEP on Monday night in the league opener for both teams.
Reigning C-USA Offensive Player of the Week Dempsey Thornton paced the Roadrunners (5-7, 1-0 C-USA) with 16 kills while hitting .353 for the match. Dajana Boskovic recorded her third double-double with 13 winners and 10 digs to go along with three blocks.
UTSA hit a season-best .381, while recording a season-low 10 attack miscues.
The Roadrunners worked their way from behind in the opening set to eventually tie the score on six occasions. After the final tie at the 12-all mark, UTSA went on a 5-1 run to lead 17-13. Boskovic secured the two-point win with her eighth kill of the frame.
UTSA then dominated the Miners (2-10, 0-1 C-USA) in the second stanza. The Roadrunners jumped to an 8-3 lead to force a UTEP timeout and totaled a 12-1 run before the Miners managed to put a score on the board at the 14-4 mark.
UTSA polished off the sweep after jumping out to an early third-set lead. UTEP attempted a comeback but fell short, as it only managed to come to within one at the 11-10 mark on a block by Krystal Ejesieme and Talia Jones. Lauren Muenchow secured the win for the Roadrunners with a kill.
Coline Coessens led the Miners with 12 winners and five digs.
UTSA will return to the Convocation Center on Friday when they host Florida Atlantic (10-4, 1-0 C-USA) at 7 p.m.