SAN ANTONIO – UTSA swept Charlotte (25-20, 25-21, 25-20) at the Convocation Center Friday.
The Roadrunners (8-6, 1-0) remained perfect in league openers since joining Conference USA in 2013. They are 8-1 all-time against the 49ers (9-7, 0-1), including five three-set victories, winning 25 of the 33 sets played.
UTSA led wire-to-wire in the first game, building leads of 5-1 and 10-4 before Charlotte called its first timeout. The Niners responded and trimmed the margin to 18-17 after Sydney Rowan's second kill in succession. Brianna McCulloch's successful attack, sandwiched around two of Hannan Lopez's six kills in the opening game quieted the uprising and forcing a second pause by the visitors. A service ace, two more kills by Lopez gave the home side six set points. After a side out by Charlotte, McCulloch smashed home the game winner.
In game two, the 49ers carried the momentum early, holding margins of 3-1 and 7-4 before the Roadrunners regained their footing and evened things at 8-8. McCulloch's second-consecutive point pushed the home team out front for the first time in the set. The teams traded shots and Mia Perales knotted things up at 14-14 with an ace. Emily Ramirez, who leads UTSA in aces and second in the league, notched her third of the night to secure a 2-0 lead as the teams went to intermission.
An 8-3 run in game three by the Roadrunners secured the match. In a tightly contested affair, which featured 11 ties and four lead changes, saw the Niners up 17-15 when UTSA called timeout. A service error by the guest ignited a 4-1 run by the Roadrunners and Charlotte's lead dissipated into a 19-18 deficit. After a 49ers timeout, the teams played four points, with UTSA grabbing three and Charlotte burnt another timeout. McCulloch's kill pushed the margin out to four and the home team had four-match points but only needed one, as an attack error by the Niners secured the victory for the Roadrunners.
Lopez registered her fourth double-double of the season with 13 kills and 10 digs. Perales finished with 13 assists and five digs, while Courtney Walters added 21 assists to her team lead. The freshman entered the contest 10thin the league at 6.67. Ramirez tallied a match-high19 digs, out-dueling Charlotte's Yumi Garcia, who leads the nation with 6.81 per set. Garcia finished with 17.
The Roadrunners totaled 10 aces, while the 49ers tallied two. UTSA's defense prevented sustained runs by the Niners, converting 41 of 63 (65 percent) side out opportunities, while the 49ers went 39 of 73 (53 percent).
UTSA returns to the court Sunday against UTEP. First serve is at 12 p.m.
