SAN ANTONIO — UTSA now is the only undefeated team in Conference USA after defeating league co-leader Western Kentucky in four sets (13-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-20) on Friday night at the Convocation Center.
The Roadrunners (12-7, 8-0 C-USA) halted the Hilltoppers' eight-match win streak by winning their ninth consecutive outing.
After dropping the opening set, UTSA bounced back to win the next three. The Roadrunners hit .279 for the match and combined for a .292 attack percentage in the final three sets. Meanwhile, WKU (19-5, 7-1 C-USA) was held to a .188 clip in the last three frames.
UTSA led from the beginning of the second set and never allowed the Hilltoppers to get to within more than one. After an Alyssa Cavanaugh kill at the 9-8 mark, The Birds managed to pull away and it led by as many as six following an ace.
Momentum stayed with the Roadrunners coming out of the intermission. UTSA hit .324 in the third frame and held Western Kentucky to a .167 attack percentage. The stanza featured 13 ties and three lead changes.
The Roadrunners managed to string along a 5-2 run to lead 19-16 and force WKU to call its second timeout. UTSA closed out the set on an 11-5 run and Dempsey Thornton, who finished the night with 16 kills and eight digs, secured the win with a winner.
A back-and-forth battle ensued in the deciding set, as there were nine ties and five lead changes before the Roadrunners scored four straight points to lead 16-12 on back-to-back blocks by Kylie Schott and Jessica Waldrip.
Consecutive kills by Dajana Boskovic gave UTSA a 20-15 lead and the Roadrunners slowly inched their way to the win, as a miscue by WKU gave UTSA match point. The Hilltoppers briefly extended the set on a Haley Bodway winner, but another miscue gave the Roadrunners the victory.
Boskovic totaled 17 kills on the night to pace UTSA, while Marijeta Runjic added 11.
Cavanaugh paced Western Kentucky with 16 winners.
The Roadrunners will conclude their weekend home stand on Sunday against Rice (16-5, 6-1 C-USA). First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m.