Photo Gallery (Coming Soon)
EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) volleyball team took a set from a Pac-12 opponent for the first time before falling to Washington State University (WSU), a team receiving votes in the latest AVCA Top 25 poll, 1-3 (15-25, 16-25, 25-23, 21-25) as part of the UTRGV Tournament on Friday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse in front of a crowd of 1,359.
This was UTRGV's (6-7) fourth-ever match against a Pac-12 opponent and second at home, having previously been swept by Oregon twice and USC once.
UTRGV's third-set victory snaps WSU's (10-1) 18-set winning streak. UTRGV is just the third team to take a set from WSU, which has lost only five sets all season.
There were 1,359 fans in attendance, marking the sixth-largest crowd in program history.
Senior
Barbara Silva led UTRGV with 19 kills and three blocks. Sophomore
Sarah Cruz recorded 13 kills and seven digs. Junior
Veronika Jandova finished with seven kills and four blocks. Junior
Debora Nazario dished out 33 assists with eight digs and three blocks. Junior
Samaret Caraballo posted 24 digs with nine assists and one ace.
Alexcis Lusby led WSU with 14 kills on .700 hitting and four blocks.
Jocelyn Urias recorded 10 kills on .476 hitting with four blocks.
After dropping the first two sets, UTRGV fell behind in the third set 0-4. WSU extended its lead to 8-3 on an error before a pair of Cruz kills helped UTRGV to close to within 7-9. WSU pushed its lead to 17-11, but Silva came up with two kills to help UTRGV close to within 14-18. WSU won the next two serves to go up six before UTRGV went on a 6-1 run, capped by a Cruz block, to pull within 20-21. UTRGV tied the set for the first time at 22 on a Cruz kill and then took its first lead on another Cruz kill. One point later, a service error gave UTRGV set point, and after a long rally, a Silva kill gave UTRGV the set.
UTRGV closes out the tournament against Houston Baptist on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. during Orange Out for Hunger Action Day. Fans donating five non-perishable food items will get orange out t-shirts while supplies last. All donations benefit the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley. Washington State plays Texas Southern at 11 a.m. Doors open at 10.
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