SAN ANTONIO — UTSA worked its way from a six-point deficit, tying the score nine times, to win the fourth set and the match against Florida Atlantic on Friday night at the Covocation Center. The Roadrunners won by scores of 27-25, 25-20, 17-25, 27-25 to extend its winning streak to three consecutive matches.
The score was tied three times in the last 10 points of the fourth frame with UTSA playing from behind. FAU (10-5, 1-1 C-USA) scored the final tie, but back-to-back kills from Marijeta Runjic and Dempsey Thornton secured the win for the Roadrunners (6-7, 2-0 C-USA).
Reigning Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week, Thornton paced UTSA with 19 kills and 18 digs for her third double-double of the season. Twelve of her 19 kills came in the final two sets of the match. Dajana Boskovic also tallied double-digit kills with 18 and she added 14 digs and four blocks, while reigning C-USA Setter of the Week Jessica Waldrip registered a career-best 59 assists to go along with nine digs. Annie Kunes, who recorded her first kill of the season, posted 19 digs and a season-best four assists.
The Roadrunners battled late in the opening frame against the Owls after taking an 8-3 lead to force a Florida Atlantic timeout. A 9-4 run by the Owls brought them to within two at 20-18. Thornton drew the final tie of the match at the 25-all mark while an FAU error followed by a Kylie Schott kill sealed the first set win.
UTSA was able to cruise to a 25-20 win in the second set, but it lost momentum coming out of intermission. The Roadrunners hit .175 in both the second and third stanzas.
Florida Atlantic dominated much of the fourth set, looking to extend the match to five. With the Roadrunners facing a six-point deficit at the 11-5 mark on a kill by Brianne Wojciakowski, UTSA slowly closed in on the gap. A 6-1 run by UTSA drew the first tie of the frame on a block by Schott and Waldrip. Eight ties ensued thereafter to give the Roadrunners the win in thrilling fashion.
Kristi Tekavec led the Owls with 15 kills, five digs and one block.
The Roadrunners will return to the Convo on Sunday when they host North Texas (10-4, 1-0 C-USA). First serve is slated for 1 p.m.