Southern Miss outlasts UTSA in five despite career outing from Lopez
Southern Miss outlasts UTSA in five despite career outing from LopezSouthern Miss outlasts UTSA in five despite career outing from Lopez
Jeff Huehn/UTSA Athletics
Volleyball

Southern Miss outlasts UTSA in five despite career outing from Lopez

SAN ANTONIO – Hannah Lopez chipped in a career-high 26 kills and added 16 digs but Southern Miss was able to outlast UTSA volleyball in five sets (25-21, 22-25, 24-26, 25-20,17-15) on Monday afternoon at the Convocation Center. 
 
UTSA (6-10, 4-6 Conference USA) split a home two-match stretch with Southern Miss (9-6, 4-4 C-USA) after claiming a four-set win on Sunday afternoon at the Convocation Center. UTSA opened the match with a first-set win, 25-21, before USM evened it with a 25-22 win and took a 2-1 lead with a 26-24 win in the third. UTSA forced a fifth set with a 25-20 win and the Eagles were able to escape the fifth with a 17-15 result. 
 
Lopez, a product of San Antonio's Churchill High School, topped her previous career high with 26 kills, adding 16 digs. 
 
UTSA also got a double-double from Kirby Smith, who had 20 kills and 17 digs, just shy of her career high of 21 kills in 2018. 
 
Setter Courtney Walters chipped in career-highs in assists (58) and digs (15), adding four kills and an ace. 
 
Bianca Ejesieme had 10 kills, with Alison Jennings charting a nine-kill effort. 
 
Libero Mia Ybarra had 21 digs, five assists and a team-leading four aces. 
 
UTSA hit .253 in the match, holding Southern Miss to a .169 hitting percentage. 
 
The Roadrunners will return to action on Sunday and Monday, traveling to face UAB. 
 
- UTSA -