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Box Score
LAKE CHARLES, Louisiana – The University of Texas-Pan American Broncs volleyball team is off to its third best start in program history after beating the Prairie View A&M Panthers 3-0 at the Big Daddy's Invitational on Friday at Memorial Gym on the campus of McNeese State.
The Broncs stand at 8-3 on the season and only the 1973 and 1996 teams have had better starts going 10-1 and 9-2 through 11 games respectively.
Krysta Freitas gave the Broncs their first lead in the first set with a service ace that made it 2-1. Later in the set, Anjane Janda made it 8-6 with the kill and then
Alisha Watson recorded a kill pushing UTPA's lead to 12-8. A block by
Diara Reynolds and
Haley Durham closed out the first set giving the Broncs the 25-21 victory.
The Broncs took the 3-2 lead in the second set after Freitas recorded a kill but the Panthers fought back to take the 5-3 lead after a service ace by Magda Zietek. UTPA regained the lead after an error by the Panters and then a kill by
Alisha Watson pushed their lead to 10-8. A kill by Durham gave the Broncs the 25-22 second set victory.
The Panthers jumped out to a 3-1 lead but the Broncs rallied for three straight points to tie the set at three. The Broncs fell behind at 5-8 but another kill by Durham tied the set at eight. UTPA took the lead for good at 12-11 after Janda and Durham teamed up for a block. The Broncs closed out the set on a 13-5 for a 25-16 third set victory.
Diara Reynolds recorded 10 kills to lead the Broncs' offense while
Alisha Watson and
Maria Kliefoth added six kills.
Nycole Masaki paced the Broncs with 34 assists and
Nausheen Merchant recorded 10 digs to lead the Broncs defensively.
Jade Nelson, Janette Batista and Candyce Alexander each recorded six kills for the Panthers. Monecia Preston added 12 assists while LaKeisha Allen and Batista recorded 11 digs.
The Broncs are back in action on Saturday when they face off against host McNeese State at 11:30 a.m. at Memorial Gym.
