FORT WORTH – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros volleyball team came back from down 0-2 to force a fifth set before falling to the Nicholls Colonials 2-3 (20-25, 19-25, 25-16, 25-22, 10-15) to close out TCU's Cowtown Classic on Friday at Schollmaier Arena.
 
Junior Sarah Cruz led the Vaqueros (2-3) with a career-high tying 22 kills, 12 digs and three blocks for her first double-double of the season, the seventh of her career. Senior Veronika Jandova recorded 16 kills on .481 hitting with three blocks. Freshman Ingridy Foltran finished with 11 kills and two blocks. Freshman Luanna Emiliano posted her fourth double-double with 56 assists and 15 digs.
 
Emily Gauthreaux led the Colonials (5-1) with 12 kills and 10 digs. S'mara Riley recorded 11 kills. Aaliyah Burras finished with 10 kills and five blocks.
 
The Colonials scored the first five points of the first set en route to a 7-3 lead. A Jandova kill sparked an 8-2 run to give the Vaqueros an 11-9 advantage. Then, after a kill by sophomore Luisa Silva Dos Santos put the Vaqueros up 12-10, the Colonials scored three-straight points as part of a 7-2 run to take a 17-14 lead. Jandova and junior Yasmim da Silva responded with kills to bring the Vaqueros within one, but that's as close as they got.
 
The Vaqueros jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the second set on the strength of two kills by freshman Perris Key and one by Cruz. The Vaqueros still led at 6-4 on a Jandova kill before the Colonials went on a 14-4 run to go up 18-10. Four serves later, with the score 12-20, the Vaqueros went on a 4-1 run, capped by a Santos kill, to climb to within 16-21, but the two teams traded points for the rest of the set.
 
The Colonials jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the third set. The Vaqueros came roaring back, scoring eight-straight points, including back-to-back Key kills that made the score 10-6. After the Colonials won the next two serves, a Foltran kill sparked a 4-0 run to put the Vaqueros up 14-8. Later, with the score 18-13, Cruz and Foltran came up with kills to put the Vaqueros up seven and push the set out of reach.
 
The Colonials took a 4-2 lead in the fourth set before a Cruz kill and a pair of Foltran kills allowed the Vaqueros to score five-straight points to take the lead. The Colonials scored four of the next five points to tie the set before back-to-back Jandova kills put the Vaqueros up 10-8. One serve later, a Cruz kill and consecutive Santos kills gave the Vaqueros a 13-9 lead. The Colonials responded with six-straight points to take the lead before a 4-0 run, capped by a pair of Cruz kills, but the Vaqueros up 17-15. The Colonials came back to tie the set at 18. The Vaqueros led 19-18 and 20-19 on errors. Then, down 20-21, kills by Foltran and Cruz helped the Vaqueros go up 23-21. The Vaqueros reached set point at 24-22 on a Cruz kill and then won the set on another Cruz kill.
 
The Vaqueros kept the fifth set tight and were within one at 5-6 on a Jandova kill and 9-11 on a Santos kill, but the Colonials scored five of the final five points.
 
UTRGV returns home for the four-day UTRGV Tournament starting with a matchup against Louisiana on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the UTRGV Fieldhouse. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at UTRGVTickets.com. Those unable to attend the match in person can watch in the United States on ESPN+ or internationally on the WAC Digital Network.

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