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WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Double-doubles from Amanda Gonzales and Kirby Smith helped lift UTSA volleyball to a five-set win (25-16, 23-25, 25-20, 21-25, 15-7) at Army West Point to sweep the Army Invitational, on Saturday evening.
UTSA (3-0) completed the three-match weekend with a trio of wins, with the Roadrunners posting a four-set win over San Francisco on Friday to open the year, before earning a three-set sweep over Quinnipiac in the first of two matches on Saturday.
The Roadrunners cruised to the first-set win before Army claimed the second set with a late rally. UTSA bounced back to take a five-point win in the third before Army (1-2) posted a win in the fourth set to force a deciding fifth. UTSA raced out to an early lead and help on to earn the eight-point win in the final set.
Gonzales earned her first double-double of the season with 57 assists and 13 digs. Brianna McCulloch led the offense with 24 kills on a .360 hitting percentage. Freshman Smith had 12 kills and a team-leading 23 digs. Ashley Dominguez had eight digs, with Shelby Williams owning 10 digs and Mia Ybarra 13. Kara Teal finished with 15 kills and four blocks and Hannah Froeschl had 14 kills on a .379 hitting percentage.
After Army earned the first point of the match on an ace, UTSA answered with three straight, including two kills from McCulloch. The Roadrunners kept Army within three until kills from Montse Castro and Smith lifted UTSA up 11-6. A serving run from Teal saw the Roadrunners take an 18-8 lead, including two aces from Teal and a kill from McCulloch. McCulloch hooked up with Gonzales to put UTSA to 20 first with an 11-point lead. Army fought back to get within eight but after a UTSA timeout, the Roadrunners finished off a 25-16 win.
Army came out of the gate strong in the second, taking the first four points. The Roadrunners were able to claw back to even the set at eight after an ace from Ashley Dominguez. UTSA battled in the second to even it at 17 and took a 22-20 lead after a kill from McCulloch. Army then called for a timeout and came out of the break to take five of the next six points and earn a 25-23 win.
Army earned the first point before UTSA took the next five, with Foreschl swatting a monster kill for UTSA's third point. The Runners were able to extend their lead into double digits, with McCulloch's kill giving UTSA a 19-8 lead. Army rallied to cut a 20-10 UTSA lead to 20-16 with six straight but the Roadrunners finished off the set win, 25-20.
To open the fourth the two teams traded points, with Teal getting UTSA on the board with a kill. The teams traded the first 12 points before a 7-0 run from Army saw the Knights take a 13-6 lead. UTSA was able to rally back to force a pair of Army timeouts late in the fourth but the Knights held on for a 25-21 win to force a fifth.
Army opened the final set with a 3-1 lead before a kill from McCulloch evened it at 3-3. Even at six, UTSA notched three straight, including a kill from McCulloch and two from Froeschl, forcing an Army timeout. UTSA finished off the win with a 15-7 final set.
UTSA will return to action on Thursday, facing rival Texas State at 6:30 p.m. CT in San Marcos, Texas.
- GO UTSA -
