ARLINGTON, Texas – UT Arlington outlasts UTSA in a thrilling five-set match in the first round of the 2019 National Invitational Volleyball Championship at the College Park Center Thursday.
Freshman Jenna Patton registered a career-high seven blocks, while senior Brianna McCulloch and sophomore Kirby Smith totaled double-doubles but it was not enough for the Roadrunners. They finish the season at 16-14, while the Mavericks improved to 19-13.
UT Arlington claimed victories in the second and third sets, pushing UTSA to the brink of elimination. McCulloch and Smith carried the torch for the Roadrunners, combining for 10 kills on 17 swings with just one error, knotting the match at two games each. McCulloch, who finishes her career with 996 kills, hit .625 (5-0-8) in the fourth, while Smith was 5-of-9 with one miscue.
Bianca Ejesieme registered a team-high third successful attack in the fifth set that gave UTSA an 8-6 edge as teams changed sides. Patton made it 9-6 after the media time-out and the Roadrunners seemed poised to secure the win.
Smith's kill made it 11-8 but a 3-0 run by the Mavericks evened things at 11-11 and the guests called a timeout. A kill and attack error by each squad moved the score up to 13-13 but a successful attempt by the home side and a miscue by the Roadrunners ended secured the match in favor of UT Arlington.
While the loss may sting for a while, the Roadrunners' future looks bright with most of this year's team returning in 2020.
- UTSA -
