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HOUSTON -- It took five sets but UTSA volleyball extended its school-record start to the season to 7-1, outlasting Houston Baptist (25-22, 25-22, 17-25, 22-25, 15-11) on Friday evening at Houston's Flo Hyman Collegiate Classic.
UTSA (7-1) was able to fight through its second match of the day after sweeping Houston to open the Flo Hyman Classic earlier on Friday. After UTSA took the first two sets in dominating fashion, Houston Baptist (4-4) held of Roadrunners rallies to claim the following two and force a fifth.
With the win, UTSA is off to the best start to a season, passing the 6-1 opening to the 1985 and 2015 campaigns.
Freshman Kirby Smith earned her fourth consecutive double-double to lead the Roadrunners, notching 15 kills and 14 digs. Senior Amanda Gonzales had 32 assists and five digs with senior Shelby Williams owning a club-best 22 digs. Freshman Hannah Lopez added eight kills, with Brianna McCulloch leading the offensive attack with 15 kills. Hannah Froeschl added 11 kills and freshman Madeline McKay had a career-high five blocks.
The Roadrunners came out of the gate strong with five of the first six points in the opening set. The teams traded points until even at 8-8 before a 4-0 run lifted UTSA to a 12-8 lead. UTSA kept HBP within multiple points and spurted out to a 21-17 lead on the strength of a Froeschl kill from Mia Perales. After a Smith service run led to a 24-20 lead, McCulloch smashed the termination to end the first set in a 25-22 win.
UTSA roared to a 2-0 set lead in the second, with the teams trading the first six points of the second stanza. HBU gained its first lead of the set at 9-8 but the Runners earned six of the next eight points for a 14-11 lead after a Williams' ace. A quick 3-0 run lifted UTSA to a 17-12 lead with the Runners keeping the Huskies within multiple points until McCulloch's kill for a 25-22 win.
The Huskies didn't quit, rallying to take the third set, building a 10-7 lead to open before UTSA evened it at 13-13. A furious finish to the set, whjch saw HBU take 11 of the final 15 points, lifted the Huskies to the 25-17 win.
The fourth set saw HBU even the match and force a fifth set, with HBU erupting out of a 17-17 tie to post the 25-22 win. UTSA clawed to within 24-22 late in the set to force a HBU timeout but the Huskies finished off the win out of the break.
The fifth set saw UTSA outlast the Huskies for a 15-11 win, extending a two-point lead to 12-8 for the finish. UTSA earned the first two points before HBU took a 7-5 lead, its second multiple-point lead of the final set. Three consecutive points saw UTSA own a 9-7 lead, with HBU spending its final timeout with the Roadrunners leading 11-8. Froeschl gave UTSA a 12-8 lead and the Runners fought off the late points from the Huskies to post the 15-11 win.
The Roadrunners will wrap up its stay in Houston's Flo Hyman Collegiate Classic on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. CT vs. Cornell.
- GO UTSA -
