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EDINBURG – Sophomore Michelle McNamee had a career-high and match-high 19 kills and junior Nycole Masaki dished out a career-high and match-high 54 assists to lead the University of Texas-Pan American Broncs volleyball team past Great West Conference-opponent Chicago State University 3-2 on Saturday at the UTPA Fieldhouse.
 
McNamee was one of three Broncs (9-12, 2-1 GWC) to reach double-figures in kills. Sophomore Diara Reynolds recorded a double-double with 14 kills and 16 digs. Freshman Haley Durham had 13 kills with four blocks.
 
The Cougars (2-21, 0-4 GWC) took early leads in each of the first three sets.
 
In the first, the Cougars led 5-1 thanks in part to two kills by Valeria Desiderio. The Cougars held their lead for a little longer, going up 7-5 on a Juri Franzen attack error, but a kill by Reynolds kicked off a 9-0 run as the Broncs went ahead 14-7 and never looked back en route to a 25-22 win.
 
In the second set, the Cougars took a quick 3-1 lead, but the Broncs came back to tie it 3-3 on kills by McNamee and Haley Durham. From there, the set stayed tight until the end. Tied at 22-22, Durham came up with a kill to give the Broncs the lead for good as they won 25-23.
 
The Cougars jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the third set as well, but the Broncs responded with a 6-0 run to go ahead 7-3. The Cougars scored the next five points to go up 8-7, leading to another tight set. Tied at 23-23, Alyssa Podwell came up with back-to-back kills at the net to give the Cougars a 25-23 win.
 
In the fourth set, the Cougars had three opportunities at set point while the Broncs had two tries at match point. The Cougars led 24-23, but a kill by Krysta Freitas tied it up. The Cougars got another chance up 25-24, but a kill by Durham again tied it up. Paula Sioto followed with an attack error to give the Broncs match point, but a kill by Sydney Van Munster tied the set at 26-26. A Durham kill gave the Broncs another opportunity, but two kills be Desiderio and one by Podwell gave the Cougars the set, 29-27.
 
The Broncs got to match point at 14-11 in the fifth set, and after the Cougars successfully defended twice, McNamee came up with a kill on assist from Masaki to end the set at 15-13.
 
Van Munster led the Cougars with 18 kills. Desiderio finished with 14 while Sioto and Podwell each had 10.
 
The Broncs return to action on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. when they visit Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
 
The University of Texas-Pan American Department of Intercollegiate Athletics competes at the NCAA Division I level. UTPA, formerly known as Pan American College and Pan American University, is a part of the University of Texas System of Schools. The Broncs compete in 14 varsity sports: men's and women's basketball, golf, tennis, track and field, and cross country, along with women's volleyball and men's baseball. The Broncs have won six team national championships, including the 1963 NAIA Championship in men's basketball and every NAIA Championship in men's tennis from 1961 through 1965. The Broncs also have also won 10 individual national championships, all in men's tennis, with six NAIA doubles championships and four NAIA singles championships. UTPA has been a member of the Great West Conference in 12 sports since 2009-10. Men's golf competes in the America Sky Conference while men's tennis competes in the Southland Conference.