SAN MARCOS, Texas -- UTSA volleyball got a double-double from Amanda Gonzales and Kirby Smith and a match-high 12 kills from Brianna McCulloch to post a three-set sweep (25-16, 25-11, 25-23) over UIW, on Friday evening in the second day of Texas State's Creeds & Crests Classic at the Strahan Coliseum at the University Events Center.
UTSA (5-1) completed the Creeds & Crests Classic with a 2-1 record, falling in four sets vs. Texas State on Thursday night before sweeping the doubleheader on Friday vs. a pair of in-state foes. After cruising to the first two sets, UTSA fought back from down 21-19 to post a 25-23 win to sweep the match.
The Roadrunners saw Gonzales and Smith chart double-double efforts, with Gonzales owning 19 assists and 11 digs and Smith owning 11 kills and a team-best 17 digs. McCulloch had 12 kills and five digs. Kara Teal and Hannah Froeschl each had seven kills and senior Shelby Williams had three service aces and 15 digs.
The Roadrunners fell victim to a sluggish opening in the first set, falling behind 4-1 with Teal getting UTSA on the board. A fierce, right-handed strike from Froeschl cut the lead in half and a kill from Montse Castro cut the lead to 6-5. A 4-0 run ensued, highlighted by a block from Castro and Madeline McKay to take a 9-6 lead. The teams traded points through 11, until a 7-0 run saw UTSA take a 17-11 lead, with Williams notching a pair of aces and Smith getting her first kills. UIW notched the next three points and became the first to 20 after a monster slam from Smith. Williams earned a nifty kill for a seven-point lead and Teal gave UTSA a 22-15 lead. Williams sparked UTSA's 23rd point with a diving dig and McCulloch finished it with a kill, with UTSA finishing off the win 25-16.
UIW open the set with the lead before Teal answered and Froeschl notched UTSA's second point. McCulloch continued a 4-0 run that saw Smith get a kill and Teal execute a block. UTSA added to its lead with an 8-0 run, with McCulloch notching three consecutive kills and Castro and McKay teaming up on a block as the lead ballooned to 14-3. UIW earned the next two points before UTSA was able to lift the lead to 19-7 after consecutive kills from Castro and Smith. UTSA extended its run to five to become the first to 20 and finished off the set win at 25--11 after a Froeschl and McKay block.
UIW took six of the first 10 points to open the third set, with UTSA getting points from kills through Froeschl, Teal and McKay. The Roadrunners closed within 10-7 but UIW got three of the next four points to force a timeout with UTSA trailing by five. The Roadrunners notched the next three points, including kills from Froeschl and Teal. Kills from McKay and Smith helped UTSA get to even at 17 and after trailing 21-19, Froeschl tied it up at 22 with a kill. UTSA then notched three of the next four points to earn a 25-23 win to complete the sweep.
UTSA will return to action with the opener of the Flo Hyman Cup in Houston, Texas, facing Houston at 11:30 a.m. and HBP at 4:30 p.m. CT.
- GO UTSA -
