BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic spoiled senior Emily Ramirez's record-setting night with a 3-0 (16-25, 22-25, 15-25) victory over UTSA Friday at FAU Arena.
The Roadrunners dropped to 13-10 overall, including 6-4 in Conference USA action, while the Owls improved to 13-7 on the season and 7-2 in the league.
Ramirez etched her name in the Roadrunners record book once again with her 41st service ace of the season. Entering the contest, she held the 25-point rally era career record with 108.
Freshmen paced the Roadrunners in kills, assists and blocks. Bianca Ejesieme finished with a team-high nine kills, one ahead of Hunter Coppola's eight. Courtney Walters tallied 22 assists and Jenna Patton accounted for half of the team's blocks.
FAU turned a one-point advantage into a commanding 22-13 lead in the opening game with a 9-0 spurt, en route to the 1-0 advantage. Montse Castro smashed her first of two kills down the line, ending the skid but the Roadrunners were unable to complete the comeback.
Ejesieme knotted game two at 19-19 but a 6-3 run by Florida Atlantic secured the game two win. Trailing 24-22, UTSA committed its sixth-attacking miscue of the set and 12th over the first two games, handing the Owls a 2-0 edge at the intermission.
After the break, the Owls broke open game three with an 8-3 spurt, pushing the cushion out to 17-11. The Roadrunners rallied and got within 19-15 but that was as close as they could get. With four-match points in hand, Florida Atlantic's Massiel Matos dropped her first serve into no-man's land, finding the hardwood and handing UTSA its third-consecutive defeat.
UTSA remains in South Florida and wrap up the two-match road trip Sunday at FIU. First serve between the Roadrunners and Panthers is set for 12 p.m. central.
- UTSA -
