DALLAS (SMU) – The SMU volleyball team defeated Connecticut 3-1 (29-27, 22-25, 25-17, 25-15) Friday night to start 1-0 in American Athletic Conference matches.
Brittany Adams led all players with 14 kills and had 13 digs for her fifth straight double-double to lead the Mustangs.
SMU scored five of the first six points, but the Huskies answered back, cutting the lead to one, 8-7. With the advantage still just one, 10-9, SMU went on an 8-1 run for an 18-10. The rout was on, and the match was over with SMU winning 25-15 to stay unbeaten against the Huskies in 12 matches all-time, including 11 conference matches in The American.
Montana Watts tallied 19 of SMU's 74 digs.
Ryan Palmieri scored nine kills in just two sets, and
Eva Linden and
Lexi Nordmann also added nine kills each.
Kendall Patterson finished with 23 assists and 14 digs, and
Lily Heim recorded 22 assists.
Four Mustangs scored three kills each, including
Ryan Palmieri in her first set of the match, as SMU (4-7, 1-0 The American) defeated UConn (8-6, 0-1 The American) 25-17 in the third set for a 2-1 lead in the match. Trailing 9-7, SMU scored four straight, including an ace by Watts that gave SMU the lead back at 10-9. The Mustangs never trailed again. SMU scored 15 kills in the set, while holding the Huskies to just seven.
The Mustangs outlasted the Huskies in the first set to win 29-27. SMU trailed 24-20 before scoring five unanswered with three kills and a block to take the lead. UConn scored back-to-back kills, getting two more chances to serve for the set. After an attack error by the Huskies, Linden combined with Kennedy for a block and then place an attack in the corner to win the set.
SMU's second comeback attempt came up short as UConn won the second set, 25-22. The Huskies led 18-17 before pushing the lead to five, 23-18. SMU was able to fight off a pair of set points, again while trailing 24-20. This time, however, UConn scored the kill to stop the run and win the set.
The Mustangs host Temple Sunday at 12 p.m. on the American Digital Network.
