SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA Volleyball team was dominant on day one of the 2024 UTSA Invitational, sweeping both Holy Cross (25-10, 25-15, 25-7) and Abilene Christian (25-18, 25-16, 25-17) inside the Convocation Center on Friday.
The Roadrunners (3-3, 0-0 The American) were unbeatable on the day, improving their record to .500 thanks to a handful of stellar performances.
Junior Mia Soerensen recorded double-digit kills in both contests, while senior Aliah Giroux led each match in digs. Additionally, sophomore Makenna Wiepert powered an incredible offense, setting the table out of a 6-2, and helping the team record a .359 hitting percentage.
UTSA vs Holy Cross
The Roadrunners breezed past the Crusaders in straight sets, hitting an incredibly efficient .402 to the opposition -. 011. Soerensen took over the match, recording 11 kills at a .588 clip, and tied freshman Caroline Tredwell for the most blocks in the contest with three. Giroux also topped the match in digs, scooping 15 of the opposition’s attacks and Wiepert managed 17 assists.
UTSA jumped out to an early lead in the first frame, ahead of a five-point surge that featured multiple Soerensen kills for a 19-7 advantage. The ‘Runners then finished things out strong, as a freshman Isabella Arroyave kill cemented a 25-10 win.
It was more of the same in the second stanza, as a senior Faye Wilbricht termination capped off a five-point swing that issued a 12-6 score line. Holy Cross threatened a comeback, pulling to within three, but a freshman Martina Franco kill broke their serve and helped take a 17-12 lead. A redshirt senior Alicia Coppedge kill allowed the ‘Runners to win the race to 20, and a string of Crusader errors shortly after secured a 25-15 win for UTSA.
The Roadrunners dominated the third set, picking up a 25-7 win to finalize the match, thanks to an 11-1 start and five service aces by Franco.
UTSA vs Abilene Christian
UTSA again worked a three-set victory, this time taking down the Wildcats. Wiepert was phenomenal, recording her first double-double of the season to the tune of 17 assists and 12 digs. Franco led the match in kills with 12, and Soerensen wasn’t far behind, working 11 of her own, hitting .550. Giroux again paced the contest in digs with 16 and Coppedge in blocks with four.
The ‘Runners jumped out to a 6-1 advantage in a surge that featured a trio of Soerensen kills. Not far after, a four-point spurt was capped off by a Tredwell termination that saw a 14-7 score line. A Coppedge kill put UTSA up seven, before another score by Tredwell saw a 25-18 win.
UTSA kept their foot on the gas entering the second, building a 12-2 edge. A successful attack for Soerensen gave the ‘Runners a 20-10 lead, and a slurry of kills by Franco resulted in a 25-16 victory.
Following a back-and-forth start to the third, the Roadrunners again pulled away as a five-point swing put the squad up 9-4. Franco then strung together a trio of aces, handing UTSA a 16-7 advantage. The ‘Runners never looked back with a junior Caroline Krueger kill cementing a 25-17 win and the second sweep of the day.
The Roadrunners will return to the Convo on Saturday as they close out the UTSA Invitational with a Hometown Showdown against UIW at 2 p.m.
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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