HOUSTON — Three Roadrunners registered career marks and UTSA won a hard-fought, five-set battle on Thursday evening at Rice (20-25, 25-21, 25-17, 22-25, 15-12).
In the rescheduled match from Sept. 22, UTSA (14-6, 5-1 C-USA) posted a season-best of 14 team blocks and is the 10th time this season the Roadrunners have reached double digits.
Megan Slan and Antonela Jularic each posted career bests with 10 and five blocks, respectively, while the two combined for 10 kills.
Meanwhile, Kylie Schott registered a career-high of 13 kills with a .458 hitting percentage, to go along with four blocks.
Freshman setter Amanda Gonzales recorded her second double-double in a week, her fifth overall this fall, with 40 assists and 17 digs.
Also reaching double figures were Dajana Boskovic (19 kills, 17 digs) and Kasey Kiefer (13 kills).
Rice (13-7, 3-3 C-USA) handled the first set 25-20 despite both teams hitting above .300. UTSA held one lead throughout the entire set at 9-8 but was relinquished on a Chelsey Harris kill.
The Roadrunners returned and won the following two frames, 25-21 and 25-17. UTSA held Rice to a .184 attack percentage in the second set and followed with a .056 clip in the third.
Both teams traded points in the second set until the Roadrunners managed to grab hold of the stanza late in the game, but led from the get-go in the third set.
The match headed to the deciding set after Rice won the fourth 25-22.
After a slow start for UTSA saw a tie at two on a kill from Schott, the Roadrunners went on a 4-1 run to lead 6-3. Four more ties ensued to tie the match at nine and UTSA rattled off five straight points 14-9 for match point. Rice scored the following three points before Boskovic secured the win for the Roadrunners.
UTSA will return to the Alamo City for a Sunday matinee against Marshall. First serve is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.