DALLAS (SMU) – Lauren Mills recorded a career-high 20 digs with eight kills, two blocks and two aces, but it wasn't enough as the SMU volleyball team lost 3-1 to UTSA Friday night in Moody Coliseum, falling to 1-1 on the season. The Roadrunners improved to 2-0 with the win.
UTSA out-lasted the Mustangs in the fourth set, out-scoring SMU 9-5 down the stretch to break a 16-16 tie and win the match with the 25-21 victory. The Roadrunners took a 2-1 lead with a 25-19 win in the third set, racing to a 16-8 lead after the intermission. SMU cut the lead to four, 17-13, but were unable to cut into the deficit any further.
The Mustangs scored 50 kills with a .201 attack percentage, but UTSA managed 56 kills, hitting .298. SMU recorded 76 digs as a team, with Heise adding 19, freshman
Montana Watts posting 12, and
Kendall Patterson finishing with 10 digs and 46 assists.
Janelle Giordano and
Katie Hegarty led the SMU offense with 14 kills each. Kajana Boskovic scored 20 kills with 18 digs and four blocks to lead UTSA.
SMU rallied back in the first set, but the Mustangs were unable to complete the comeback as UTSA held on for the 25-22 win. The Roadrunners took a 5-1 lead to start the set before the Mustangs scored seven of the next 10 points to even the score, 8-8. UTSA countered the rally with a second run, taking a 15-9 lead. SMU got to within one point six different times down the stretch, but could not complete the comeback. The Mustangs matched the Roadrunners with 16 kills, hitting .239, but UTSA committed just two errors to SMU's five for the advantage in the final score line.
The Mustangs evened the match with a 25-19 victory in the second set, holding UTSA to a .194 attack percentage. SMU never trailed, taking a 9-6 lead early and extending the lead to as many as seven points, 21-14, en route to the win. Giordano had four kills and two blocks, leading the Mustangs with points in the set. Heise and Mills each had seven digs in the set, and Patterson assisted on 12 of SMU's 13 kills.
SMU wraps up the DoubleTree Classic Saturday against Little Rock at 2:30 p.m. There will be a championship ring ceremony and reception following the match.
