EL PASO, Texas - UTSA made easy work of UTEP on Sunday afternoon with a 25-23, 25-19, 2-15 sweep.
The Roadrunners (6-11, 5-1 C-USA) held the home team to a .142 hitting percentage while UTSA was paced by sophomore Kara Teal with a .632 clip.
Teal and senior Marjieta Runjic combined for 26 of the team's 43 total kills. Teal contributed 13 winners, a service ace and a dig while Runjic registered 13 kills, nine digs and three service aces.
UTEP (4-15,1-5 C-USA) controlled the opening of the match with an 8-0 advantage, but a kill from Brianna McCulloch sparked a 6-2 Roadrunner run to bring UTSA within four. The Birds continued to chip away at the Miner lead with a 7-3 run featuring a pair of aces from Runjic. The teams tied the set six times before UTSA took its first lead. With the score knotted at 22, UTSA claimed three of the last four points to take the opening frame and a 1-0 lead.
Much like the first set UTEP opened with the lead, but the Roadrunners went on 4-1 run to take a 4-3 advantage. Boosted by six Teal winners, UTSA propelled to a 19-15 and never looked back. The Roadrunners closed off the set with an ace from Amanda Gonzales and took a 2-0 lead into the locker room.
The Roadrunner momentum continued out of the intermission and UTSA secured the sweep with a 25-15 final set. The Roadrunners posted a match-high .310 (14-5-29) hitting percentage in the winning frame.
Sophomore Macey Austin led the Miners with 13 digs while Ashley Grzebeniak led UTEP with 12 digs.
UTSA continues Conference USA action on the road as it visits Rice and Western Kentucky next weekend.
