SAN ANTONIO – 1,246 fans filled the Convocation Center on Wednesday as the UTSA Volleyball team suffered a 26-24, 19-25, 25-23, 25-16 defeat at the hands of Texas State in the I-35 Showdown. The attendance figure represents the most in the Carol Price-Torok era and the largest overall crowd since a 2017 contest against Texas that featured 2,711 spectators.
The Roadrunners (1-3, 0-0 The American) couldn't overcome the Bobcats (3-1, 0-0 Sun Belt) despite a match-high 16 kills from junior Mia Soerensen and a double-double by freshman Martina Franco. Soerensen also boasted five blocks, tying redshirt senior Alicia Coppedge for the team lead.
UTSA took an early lead as a Soerensen kill capped off a four-point swing that handed the 'Runners a 6-3 advantage. UTSA kept the Bobcats at bay for the majority of the set as separate spurts allowed a sophomore Caroline Krueger ace to deliver a 21-14 lead. A Franco termination then put UTSA up 24-16, but Texas State persevered, scoring the next 10 for a 26-24 victory.
The 'Runners got off on the front foot in the second set, as a kill for Coppedge kick-started a seven-point surge that resulted in an 8-1 lead. Back-to-back sophomore Makenna Wiepert aces shortly after increased the UTSA edge to nine, and a Soerensen kill saw a 20-10 score line. The Bobcats again threatened a comeback, but this time the 'Runners found the put-away point, securing a 25-19 win.
A senior Faye Wilbricht termination helped UTSA take a 7-2 advantage in the third, but Texas State again battled back, eventually knotting the contest at 16. A back-and-forth battle ensued, as a Coppedge kill saw a 23-23 score before the Bobcats strung together consecutive points to extinguish the set.
In the fourth, TXST stepped on the gas, growing a 19-9 lead before claiming the final set, 25-16.
The 'Runners will now host the 2024 UTSA Invitational as they welcome Holy Cross, Abilene Christian, and UIW into the Convocation Center in a tournament spanning Friday and Saturday.
Keep up with UTSA Volleyball on goutsa.com, and by following the program on Facebook at /UTSAVBall, Twitter @UTSAVolleyball, and on Instagram @utsa_vb.
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