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EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) volleyball team won its fifth-straight match by sweeping UMKC 3-0 (26-24, 25-23, 25-17) on Thursday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
 
Junior Ragni Steen Knudsen led UTRGV (8-7, 2-0 WAC) with 13 kills, seven digs and two blocks. Senior Bojana Mitrovic posted 10 kills, six digs and two blocks. Sophomore Barbara Silva finished with eight kills and four blocks.
 
Alicia Harrington led UMKC (5-11, 1-2 WAC) with 11 kills and 11 digs.
 
UTRGV jumped out to leads of 4-1 and 5-2 in the first set, but UMKC responded with an 8-1 run to take a 10-6 lead on a Harrington kill. UMKC pushed its lead to as much as five at 14-9 on a Mykal Sadler kill before a Knudsen kill sparked an 11-5 run to put UTRGV up 20-19. UMKC won the next three serves to regain the lead. Freshman Debora Nazario answered with a block as UTRGV scored the next three points to pull ahead. Then, with the set tied at 24, Knudsen came up with a kill and an ace to put UTRGV up 1-0 in the match.
 
UMKC led for much of the second set, going up 19-11 late. That's when UTRGV started its comeback, as a Mitrovic kill sparked a 12-2 run to give UTRGV a 23-21 lead. UTRGV reached set point at 24-22 on a kill by sophomore Talita Oliveira. One serve later, a Knudsen kill ended the set.
 
UTRGV was in control throughout the third set, going up 5-1 on a kill and an ace by Knudsen and then 9-3 on a Mitrovic kill. UMKC won four of the next five serves to pull within three, but a kill by junior Alexandra Ecker sparked a 6-1 run as UTRGV pulled away for the victory.
 
UTRGV closes out the six-game home stand on Saturday at 12 p.m. against Chicago State. Doors open at 11 a.m.

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