DALLAS (SMU) – SMU claimed a 3-1 (25-18, 25-15, 23-25, 25-16) victory over USF in the American Athletic Conference opener for both sides Friday at Moody Coliseum.
The Mustangs faced one tie at 1-1 in game two and never trailed in the first, second and fourth sets. In the opener, SMU claimed its largest lead of the game at 22-15. After a timeout by the Bulls, the teams split the next six points, securing a seven-point win for the Mustangs.
USF's attempt to slow down the SMU offense proved futile in game two. The Bulls faced deficits of 10-3 and 18-8 when they called timeouts, but neither were effective in slowing down the Mustangs. USF fended off two set points before succumbing 25-15.
Despite building a 16-10 advantage in the third game, SMU failed to close out the match. The teams traded winners through the early stage of the stanza. Knotted at 7-7, the home side ran off nine of the next 12 points to move in front by six. USF closed with a 15-2 spurt to force a fourth set.
Similar to the first two games, USF had no answer in the final game. The Mustangs jumped out to an 14-5 advantage before cruising to the nine-point triumph.
TEAM RECORDS AND SERIES NOTES
- SMU improved to 8-5 overall and 1-0 in AAC play while the Bulls dropped to 6-7, 0-1.
- The Mustangs own a 12-4 mark in the series, including five wins in succession.
TEAM NOTES
- SMU improved to 6-4 in American Athletic Conference openers.
- The Mustangs improved to 7-1 on the year, after winning the opening set.
- SMU held USF to 15 points in the middle stanza, the second lowest opponent total this season.
- The Mustangs played 13 of the 14 players on the roster.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Graduate transfer L/DS Tatum Ticknor played in the 125th match of her career, ranking 20th in the nation among all active players.
- She recorded 21 digs, reaching 2,200 in her career.
- Junior OH Natalie Perdue finished with 17 kills, reaching double digits 11 times this season, including six in a row.
- She added a pair of blocks.
- Junior S Celia Cullen recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 48 assists and 10 digs.
- Graduate transfer OPP Marieke van der Mark registered a season-high 14 kills and raised her team-leading hitting percentage from .319 to .326.
- She posted her fourth game with at least 10 successful swings, including three out of the last four contests.
- Graduate transfer MB London Austin-Roark posted a season-high nine successful attacks, with no errors on 12 attempts.
- Austin-Roark added four digs and three blocks.
- Senior MB Alex Glover tallied six kills and three blocks.
- Sophomore OH Jamison Wheeler dug 11 attacks, the sixth time in double figures this campaign.
- Casey Batenhorst, Jadyn Bauss, Kaitlyn Knobbe, Rachel Woulfe, BreyAnn Sands and Jentry Lamirand saw action.
The Mustangs return to Moody Coliseum at 1 p.m. Sunday when they host UCF.
