SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA volleyball team fell to Memphis, 25-18, 20-25, 25-23, 25-20, on Friday in American Athletic Conference action in the Convocation Center.
The Roadrunners (8-18, 2-11 The American) couldn’t overcome the Tigers (12-13, 6-7 The American), despite a match-high 17 kills by junior Mia Soerensen. Not far behind, classmate Caroline Krueger charted 14 terminations and had 16 digs for a double-double, while freshman Ally Tribe tallied 10 kills and scooped 12 of the opposition’s attacks. Also recording double-figures in multiple categories, sophomore Annika Sokol boasted 25 assists and 17 digs.
Neither team could break away in the first as an ace for Tribe saw a 12-11 score line. The Tigers answered, and the squads exchanged blows en route to a 16-16 tie. Memphis then worked a 19-18 lead, ahead of six straight scores that saw a 25-18 Tiger victory.
Similarly, UTSA broke an 18-18 score in the second with a Tribe kill and multiple Memphis errors issuing a 21-18 Roadrunner lead. Shortly after, a kill and block for Soerensen combined with a successful sophomore Kai Bailey attack for a 25-20 UTSA win.
The Tigers jumped out to a 13-9 lead in the third that later ballooned to a 20-14 advantage. Looking to mount a comeback, the ‘Runners trimmed their deficit to one on a block by Bailey. Memphis called a timeout and regrouped, claiming the stanza 25-23.
A 9-2 run for UTSA allowed the squad to work a 12-7 edge in the fourth before the Tigers raced back, scoring eight of the following 10 points. Terminations for Krueger and Bailey kept the match tied, 15-15, before Memphis surged, securing a victory with a 25-20 win.
The ‘Runners will wrap up the home slate on Sunday as they host Florida Atlantic for Senior Day at noon in the Convocation Center.
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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