SAN ANTONIO — Dajana Boskovic and Antonela Jularic each notched 22 kills to pace the UTSA offense and lead the Roadrunners past the FIU Panthers 3-2 (25-17, 23-25, 25-23, 21-25, 15-8) Sunday afternoon at the Convocation Center.
Jularic's 22 winners was a career high for the sophomore as she also collected her fifth double-double with 10 digs. Boskovic, in her final home match of her career, went for a double-double as well with 10 digs of her own.
Fellow senior Jessica Waldrip was one assist shy of matching a career best as she tallied 58 helpers with 12 digs and four blocks. Meanwhile, libero Daniella Villarreal led the team with a season best 23 digs.
Each team took its turn winning a set as it came down to the wire in the deciding set. Boskovic got things started to tie the frame at two with a kill and that sparked a 4-0 run that put UTSA (18-6, 9-3 C-USA) up 5-2. The Roadrunners lead held the rest of the way as they held FIU (8-18, 2-10 C-USA) to a .000 hitting percentage in the final set.
UTSA got things started in the first set with a 25-17 win that saw set point spoiled three times before the Roadrunners could secure the final point. A hitting error by FIU handed UTSA the win.
Momentum spilled over into the second set as the Roadrunners started 5-0 before the Panthers could score a point. After FIU came back to tie the score at 10, the score tied seven more times with the final coming at 23-all on a kill by Lina Bernier. A block and a UTSA hitting error evened the match and gave FIU the 25-23 win.
Both team were impressive in the third set but UTSA edged out the 25-23 win to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Both teams hit above a .300 clip but it was the Roadrunners who outdid the Panthers in kills, 20-11. FIU had the upper hand with three blocks to one.
UTSA played from behind the entire way in the fourth set, which led to the Roadrunners eighth five-setter of this season.
Katie Hogan and Lina Bernier led FIU with 15 and 13 kills respectively.
UTSA will hit the road for its final two matches of the season as they visit Charlotte on Thursday, Nov. 10, at 5 p.m. and Rice on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 1 p.m.
