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EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) volleyball team closed out non-conference play with a 2-3 (19-25, 27-25, 20-25, 25-15, 13-15) loss to Houston Baptist University (HBU) as part of the UTRGV Tournament on Saturday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
 
Senior Barbara Silva and sophomore Sarah Cruz earned All-Tournament Team honors. Silva averaged 3.58 kills in 12 sets across three matches. Cruz averaged 3.40 kills, 2.80 digs and 0.50 aces in 10 sets.
 
In this match,Cruz led UTRGV (6-8) by posting her fourth double-double with a career-high 19 kills, a career-high 19 digs, two blocks and two aces. Silva recorded 18 kills with six digs. Junior Veronika Jandova finished with nine kills, six digs and three blocks. Junior Debora Nazario dished out 48 assists with nine digs, two aces and two blocks.
 
Kelly Colwell led HBU (8-7) with 16 kills and 17 digs. Mikayla Vivens recorded 10 kills with 22 digs and three blocks.
 
After dropping the first set, UTRGV trailed 3-6 in the second set before taking advantage of four errors, including a block by Jandova and Nazario, to take a 7-6 lead. UTRGV extended its lead to 10-8 on a block by Silva and senior McAllen Memorial alum Draik Banks. Then, with the score 12-10, HBU went on a 7-2 run to go up 17-14. HBU pushed its lead to 21-17 before three Silva kills helped UTRGV go on a 5-1 run to tie the set at 22. HBU reached set point at 22-24 before back-to-back errors tied the score. UTRGV reached set point twice, first at 25-24 and then 26-25 on Cruz kills before an error ended the set.
 
UTRGV jumped out to a 6-3 lead in the fourth set on an ace by junior Paulina Ramirez. UTRGV extended its lead to 11-6 on a Nazario ace. Then, with the score 17-12, Cruz came up with back-to-back kills as UTRGV went on a 5-1 run to go up 22-13. Two serves later, an error and kills by Silva and Banks ended the set.
 
The fifth set was tight throughout, with the first two-point lead coming on a Silva kill that put UTRGV up 7-5. UTRGV still had the lead at 10-9 on a block by Nazario and Jandova, but HBU won five of the next six serves to reach match point. Kills by Cruz and Silva brought UTRGV to within 13-14 before a service error ended the match.
 
UTRGV opens Western Athletic Conference play on Thursday at 8 p.m. at Seattle U.

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