HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Top-seeded UTSA opened this weekend's Conference USA Tournament on Friday with a 26-24, 25-16, 28-26 sweep of No. 8 seed Charlotte.
The 49ers (17-17) took the Roadrunners (20-8) to extras in two of three sets, but UTSA was able to hold on for its fifth consecutive 20-win campaign.
First team all-conference selection Dajana Boskovic paced the Birds with a match-high 20 kills to go with eight digs and five blocks. Fellow first-team honoree Dempsey Thornton chipped in with 13 winners. Meanwhile, C-USA Setter of the Year Jessica Waldrip racked up her 16th match of 40-plus assists, as she dished out 42 helpers to aide UTSA’s .339 hitting percentage. Megan Slan hit a season-best .833 on the strength of five kills on nine swings and no errors and she added six blocks.
The Roadrunners improved 16-1 this fall when taking the first set behind Boskovic’s eight kills. With the frame tied at two, UTSA was able to take the lead and held on despite nine ties throughout the frame. A 5-0 Roadrunners run broke a 15-all tie and eventually led to game point on a miscue by Charlotte. The 49ers knotted the score at 24 with five straight points of their own, but a Boskovic kill followed by a combo block by Boskovic and Slan put UTSA in front.
The Roadrunners hit .317 and held Charlotte to a .167 clip in winning the second stanza by nine points. UTSA used a 9-1 run to lead 12-3 and led again by nine later in the frame at the 18-9 mark. A 5-2 run closed out the set and sent the Roadrunners into the locker room with a commanding 2-0 advatange.
Charlotte gave UTSA a run for its money out of intermission, as the third set featured 18 ties and nine lead changes. The 49ers took their first lead of the match at the 11-10 mark on a kill by Sarah McDonald. An attack error by the Roadrunners made it 24-23, but a miscue by the 49ers evened the score. A kill from Claire Kreuz gave Charlotte another set point at 25-24, but Boskovic’s final kill of the match evened the score and a Marijeta Runjic winner gave UTSA match point. The 49ers tied the score one final time before UTSA strung along a pair of points to advance to the semifinals.
Irem Asci and Kreuz each had 14 kills for Charlotte.
UTSA will face fourth-seeded Rice (22-9) at 2 p.m. on Saturday.