RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros volleyball team is now on a program-record 10-match winning streak after beating the University of Montana Grizzlies 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-20) to close out the UTRGV Tournament on Saturday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
The previous record was nine-straight wins, accomplished Oct. 4-Nov. 2, 2002 and Nov. 3-15, 2001.
At 10-1, the Vaqueros extend their record for best start as an NCAA Division I program.
Senior
Sarah Cruz led the Vaqueros with 15 kills, two blocks and three digs. Sophomore
Claudia Lupescu recorded her first double-double with 14 kills, 10 digs and one ace. Junior
Luisa Silva Dos Santos posted 11 kills on an error-free .611 hitting and one block. Sophomore
Luanna Emiliano dished out 39 assists with nine digs and two aces.
Paige Clark led the Grizzlies (5-4) with 10 kills on .348 hitting, six digs and three blocks.
The Vaqueros jumped out to a 4-2 first set lead on a pair of Lupescu kills. The Grizzlies won the next three serves to take the lead before a kill by sophomore
Perris Key fueled a 4-1 run put the Vaqueros up 8-6. The Grizzlies came back to tie the set at 9 before a Cruz kill helped the Vaqueros score the next three points to go up 12-9. The Grizzlies tied the set three times more, at 14, 15 and 18, but back-to-back Cruz kills sparked a 6-1 run to get the Vaqueros to set point before they won on an error.
The Vaqueros jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the second set. The Grizzlies responded with a 9-3 run to go up 10-7 before four Santos kills powered an 8-2 run to put the Vaqueros up 15-12. The Vaqueros still led by three at 18-15 on a Cruz kill when the Grizzlies scored three-straight points to tie the set. The Vaqueros and Grizzlies traded points until, with the set tied at 23, Lupescu came up with back-to-back kills end the set.
The Grizzlies led early in the second set, going up 7-4 before Santos and Cruz kills sparked a 5-0 run to give the Vaqueros the advantage. The Grizzlies scored the next four points and five of the next six to go up 12-10. Cruz and Lupescu answered with kills to spark a 5-2 run to put the Vaqueros up 15-14. Then, with the Vaqueros up 18-17, Santos and Cruz kills sparked another 5-2 run to put the Vaqueros up 23-19. One serve later, an error got the Vaqueros to match point and a block by Santos and sophomore
Perris Key ended the match.
UTRGV opens Texas Tech's Red Raider Classic on Friday at 10 a.m. against Oral Roberts before facing SMU at 5 p.m.
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