UTSAVB_181012_042UTSAVB_181012_042
Jeff Huehn
Volleyball

Roadrunners volleyball suffers setback at Texas State

SAN MARCOS, Texas – UTSA suffered a disappointing 3-1 (21-25, 26-24, 21-25, 20-25) setback against Texas State at Strahan Arena Thursday.
 
"Very disappointed in our pass and serve game," head coach Laura Neugebauer-Groff said. "When you look at it statistically, it feels like we beat ourselves."
 
Both teams are 6-5 on the season heading into day two of the Creeds and Crests Classic.
 
Sophomore Hannah Lopez registered her second double-double of the season, with 14 kills and digs. She hit .345 (14 kills, 4 errors, 29), netting her second game with an attacking percentage over .300.
 
Freshman Courtney Walters extended her streak of double-digit assists to 11 matches, with her sixth 20-plus helper performance of the campaign. Sophomore Mia Perales posted her 10th double-digit assists match in succession with 19. 
 
Senior Emily Ramirez tallied 24 digs, recording 10 or more in nine contests, including three with at least 20. Sophomore Kirby Smith smashed a game-high 15 kills.Making her return to the starting lineup, senior Kara Teal added three blocks (1-2), three digs, two kills, and a service ace.
 
"Having Kara on the floor is just as important from a leadership standpoint as her stats," Groff said.  
 
In a back-and-forth affair in the first game, Texas State closed with an 11-2 run and grabbed the early advantage with a 25-21 decision. UTSA jumped out to 9-3 and 15-8 before the Bobcats responded with six-consecutive points and got within one. After trading unanswered streaks, the Roadrunners were five points shy of their seventh opening set victory in the last eight contests before the Bobcats final surge.
 
Texas State built an early edge and this time the visitors responded, knotting the tally at 14 apiece. The match remained tight the rest of the way, tallying eight ties and two lead changes. The Bobcats staved off a set point at 24-23 but UTSA netted the next two, evening the match at 1-1. 
 
Neither side built momentum or a large lead after intermission in a tightly-contested third game that featured 10 lead changes and five ties. Both teams converted 16 of their sideout chances before the home team rallied late and secured the 2-1 edge in games.
 
The Roadrunners appeared poised to push a fifth and decisive set by jumping out to a 7-2 advantage and forcing a timeout but the hosts responded with a 22-10 run and held six-match points. UTSA made it interesting by fighting off three but the Roadrunners 44therror of the night ended their comeback.