SAN ANTONIO — UTSA used a combined team effort in a sweep (25-15, 27-25, 25-7) of Florida Atlantic Friday night at the Convocation Center.
Senior Kasey Kiefer was the only Roadrunner to reach double figures with 11 kills and hit .360 on the night. Meanwhile, middle hitters Megan Slan and Tessa Dahnert combined for 13 kills and a .333 attack percentage. Jessica Waldrip registered her fifth double-double of 30 assists and 11 digs, while Antonela Jularic chipped in with nine kills, six digs and a career high four aces.
UTSA (17-6, 8-3 C-USA) hit a match-high .421 in the opening stanza and took the set by a score of 25-15. The Roadrunners jumped to a 9-4 lead that forced the visiting Owls to use its first timeout and would eventually lead by as many as 10 at the 22-12 mark on a kill from Slan.
The Roadrunners held the Owls to a negative hitting percentage in the first (-.033) and third (-.185) and to an overall attack percentage of .010.
Florida Atlantic (13-12, 8-3 C-USA) stepped it up in the second set as the frame featured 14 ties and three lead changes. The Owls led 3-1 to start the set but back-to-back hitting errors evened the score at three. Nine ties ensued before FAU pulled away and eventually led by as many as six at the 21-15 mark. Momentum then shifted in favor of the Roadrunners as they came back to tie the score at 24 on a miscue by the Owls. A kill by Dahnert and a serving error by Genesis Viera secured the win for UTSA.
In the third set, the Roadrunners dominated the Owls and held them to just seven points. It was the first time this season that UTSA held an opponent to single-digit scoring and won convincingly 25-7.
Maja Ristic led Florida Atlantic with eight kills while Viera added 20 assists, six digs and three blocks.
UTSA will return on Sunday, Nov. 6, for its final home match of the season against FIU at 1 p.m. The Roadrunners' five seniors will also be recognized prior to the start of the match.
