Box Score

ARLINGTON, Texas – Sophomore Krysta Freitas recorded her first-career double-double, but the University of Texas-Pan American Broncs volleyball team fell to the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks 3-2 at the UTA Hilton Invitational on Friday at College Park Center.
 
Freitas recorded a career-high 15 kills and 16 digs, including the set-winning kill in the fourth to set-up a decisive fifth set. Freitas had four kills and no errors to lead the Broncs to a 25-20 win.
 
In the final set, the Broncs had an 11-10 lead, but a service error tied the game and the Ladyjacks scored the next point to prompt a UTPA timeout. The Broncs scored immediately to tie it up, but Sabrina Burns got that point right back for the Ladyjacks, who went ahead 14-12. The Broncs scored the next point to force an SFA timeout. Off the timeout, Burns came up with a kill on match point to give the Ladyjacks the win, 15-13.
 
Burns finished with a game-high 18 kills and a game-best .429 hitting percentage.
 
The Broncs trailed 19-18 in the first set, but Freitas led the Broncs to four-straight points on her serve, during which time she recorded a kill and an assist, to give the Broncs a 22-19 lead. The Broncs took the first set 25-23, but the Ladyjacks took the next set 25-17 to tie up the match.
 
Down 17-13 in the third set, the Broncs scored three-straight point to pull within one, but after the Ladyjacks got the next two, the two teams traded points before the Ladyjacks scored the final three to win 25-19 and take a 2-1 lead.
 
Junior Nycole Masaki had a big debut for the Broncs, racking up 38 assists to go with eight digs and two service aces. Senior Juri Franzen had a game-high 32 digs to go with four assists.
 
The Broncs return to action on Saturday for two matches, facing host UT-Arlington at 1:30 and then Savannah State at 4:30.
 
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 all-sports division of the Great West Conference since 2009-10.