Box Score

EDINBURG – Sophomore Alisha Watson served up a career-high eight aces, the third-highest single-match total in program history, to lead the University of Texas-Pan American Broncs volleyball team past the Texas Southern University Tigers 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-16) on Tuesday at the TSU Health & Physical Education Building.
 
Watson's aces were the most by a Bronc in 18 years, as Cita Jimenez posted nine against Lipscomb on Oct. 11, 1996, and Christine Phillips recorded a program record 10 against Northwestern State on Sept. 8, 1996. Watson also had six kills and a team-high eight digs.
 
As a team, the Broncs (4-14) finished with a season-high 12 aces, including two by senior Krysta Freitas and one each by senior Nausheen Merchant and junior Maisy Munson.
 
Junior Haley Durham led the Broncs with 10 kills.
 
Robyn Shannon and Kali Fluke led the Tigers (6-13) with nine kills each. Ashle Markle posted a match-high 18 digs.
 
The first set featured the most back and forth action, with seven lead changes and 14 ties. The Broncs took their first opening set lead at 4-3 on Watson's first ace, and then extended it to 6-3 on another ace. The Tigers grabbed the lead back, going up 14-11 on an error, but after a kill by Durham, Watson served up back-to-back aces to tie the set at 14-14. Neither team trailed by more than one again until the Broncs ended the set with a win by taking advantage of three-straight errors. The last two points came on Mallory Ozuna setting errors following Watson serves.
 
The Broncs trailed 1-6 out of the gate in the second set, but scored three-straight points, capped by a Watson ace, to pull within two. The Tigers pushed their lead back out to five on a Fluke kill that made it 9-4, but the Broncs came back to tie it at 10-10 on a Watson kill. The Tigers led by four at 19-15 on an Erica Lewis kill, but a Watson kill sparked a 10-4 run, capped by a Freitas ace, as the Broncs came back to win the set.
 
The third set was tight early, as the Broncs trailed 6-7, but a Kyra Hill kill and a pair of Watson aces propelled a 5-0 run as the Broncs went up 11-7. The teams traded points from there, and then, with the Broncs up 18-15, the Broncs went on a 7-1 run to close out the match.
 
The Broncs conclude this four-match road trip on Thursday at 8 p.m. when they visit defending WAC Champion New Mexico State.

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