OREM, Utah – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) volleyball team saw its five-match winning streak come to an end with a 1-3 (25-22, 18-25, 24-26, 23-25) loss to Utah Valley University (UVU) on Thursday at Lockhart Arena.
 
Senior Ragni Steen Knudsen led UTRGV (14-7, 5-2 WAC) with a season-high 24 kills on .315 hitting and seven digs. Senior Antonela Jularic recorded eight kills and 10 digs while senior Barbara Silva posted eight kills and four blocks.
 
Kazna Tarawhiti led UVU (11-9, 3-4 WAC) with 12 kills, eight digs and three blocks.
 
Knudsen had three kills and Jularicadded two aces to help UTRGV jump out to a 6-1 lead in the first set. After UVU scored the next four points to pull within one, a Silva kill and back-to-back aces by sophomore Debora Nazario put UTRGV up 9-5. UTRGV went up by six three times, including 18-12 on a block by junior Talita Oliveira. UVU won the next four serves to climb to within two. UTRGV restored its big lead, going up 24-19 on a kill by freshman Pamela Moreira. UVU scored the next three points before a Silva kill ended the set.
 
After winning the second set, UVU built an 18-10 lead in the third set and still led 22-17 late. A pair of Knudsen kills helped UTRGV go on a 7-2 run to tie the set at 24, but a kill and a block by Tarawhiti ended the set.
 
UTRGV scored the first three points of the fourth set, but after a 5-1 UVU run, the score remained within two until UTRGV took a 19-16 lead on a UVU attack error. UVU won the next three serves to tie the score before kills by Knudsen and Jularic put UTRGV back on top. UVU scored the next four points to regain the lead. UTRGV pulled within one twice at 22-23 and 23-24 on Jularic kills, but a kill by Jasmin Niutupuivaha ended the match.
 
UTRGV closes out the first half of WAC play at home on Saturday at 7 p.m. against three-time defending WAC Champion New Mexico State (14-5, 4-2 WAC) at the UTRGV Fieldhouse. Fans can purchase friends and family four packs that include four tickets, four hot dogs and four drinks for $25. Doors open at 6.

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