RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros volleyball team closed out the regular season with a 3-0 (25-17, 26-24, 25-17) victory over the Abilene Christian University Wildcats on Saturday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
 
UTRGV (17-9, 8-4 WAC) opens the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament, hosted by New Mexico State, on Thursday. The bracket is expected to be announced following the conclusion of play on Saturday. Fans can watch in the United States on ESPN+ or internationally on the WAC Digital Network.
 
Junior Sarah Cruz led the Vaqueros with 14 kills and 12 digs for her ninth double-double. In her final home match, senior Veronika Jandova recorded 10 kills and two blocks. Sophomore Ioanna Charitonidi finished with eight kills on .333 hitting and eight digs. Freshman Luanna Emiliano posted her 21^st double-double with 33 assists and 15 digs.
 
Lindsey Toney led the Wildcats (9-14, 3-9 WAC) with 13 kills, two aces and two blocks.
 
Down 2-0 to start the first set the, the Vaqueros scored seven-straight points as part of a 9-1 run, capped by a Charitonidi kill, to take a 9-3 lead. The Wildcats got as close as 7-11 before a pair of kills by freshman Perris Key powered a 5-0 run to push the set out of reach.
 
The Vaqueros led 5-2 on a kill by sophomore Luisa Silva Dos Santos at the start of the second set. The Wildcats responded with an 8-0 run and still led 13-8 when three-straight Cruz kills sparked a 7-0 run to give the Vaqueros a 15-13 lead. The Wildcats scored the next three points to go up 16-15. The Vaqueros scored the next two points and then the two teams traded points for much of the rest of the set. The Wildcats reached set point at 24-23 before an attack error tied the set, a Santos ace gave the Vaqueros set point, and an attack error ended the set.
 
Cruz opened the third set with a kill as the Vaqueros took a 5-1 lead. The Wildcats came back to tie the set at 6 before a Jandova kill and an ace by junior Yasmim da Silva put the Vaqueros back on top. After trading points for nine serves, the Wildcats tied the set at 12. The Vaqueros scored the next three points to take a 15-12 lead on a block by Jandova and Key. Three serves later, the Vaqueros went on a 7-1 run, capped by a Cruz kill, to take a 23-15 lead. Then, on match point, Jandova made the most of her final touch at home, blocking an attack to win the match.

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