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EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) volleyball team closed out non-conference play with a 3-1 (25-12, 23-25, 25-15, 25-20) victory over Houston Baptist University on Saturday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse to close out the UTRGV Tournament.
 
Senior Ragni Steen Knudsen led UTRGV (9-5) with her fourth double-double of the season after recording a match-high 18 kills with 16 digs. Senior Antonela Jularic posted a double-double with a season-high 14 kills and 12 digs. 
 
Senior Dubravka Vukoja paced UTRGV's offense with 49 assists while senior Gysell Zayas paced the defense with a match-high 28 digs. 
 
Mikayla Vivens led HBU (7-7) with 17 kills, 24 digs, and five blocks while Catherine Drapelaadded nine kills with three digs.
 
UTRGV and HBU kept it close early on in the first set that saw seven ties and five lead changes. UTRGV found itself trailing 7-8 but a 13-0 run gave them the 20-8 lead. Kills by Knudsen, an ace by Vukoja, and a kill by junior Barbara Silvaclosed out the set giving UTRGV the early advantage.
 
In the second set, HBU jumped out to the 6-3 lead before UTRGV rallied back to tie it after a kill by senior Alexandra Eckerand a pair of HBU errors. HBU built up its lead to 18-13 but UTRGV answered with a 7-0 run capped by three straight kills from Ecker, Silva, and Knudsen to take the 20-18 lead. HBU closed out the set by scoring five of the final eight points to tie the match at one set apiece.
 
UTRGV came out in the third set determined to take control of the match and jumped out to a 4-0 lead after a kill by Silva. The set was tied at 10-10 but UTRGV took the lead for good as they closed out the set with a 15-5 run.
 
The final set saw 10 ties and six lead changes as HBU came out and grabbed the early 6-4 lead but UTRGV regained the lead 7-6 with kills from Silva, Ecker, and Vukoja. UTRGV pushed its lead to 10-7 after an attack error by HBU but HBU rallied to take the 15-14 lead after a UTRGV error.
 
It was the last lead held by HBU as UTRGV closed out the set and the match with an 11-5 run for the victory.
 
UTRGV will be back in action on September 20 when it hits the road to open Western Athletic Conference play against CSU Bakersfield at 9 p.m.

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