LAFAYETTE, La. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros volleyball head coach Todd Lowery earned his program record-tying 110^th career win Friday as the Vaqueros defeated the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns 3-1 (22-25, 25-19, 25-17, 25-17) to finish a 2-0 day at the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Classic at Earl K. Long Gym. 
 
Lowery is tied with Dave Thorn (1998-2006) as the winningest head coach in program history. The Vaqueros (5-1) have a chance to put Lowery solely in the No. 1 spot when they face North Dakota State on Saturday at 9 a.m. to close the Classic. 
 
Senior outside hitter Sarah Cruz led UTRGV to its fifth-straight win with a match-high 21 kills on a .264 hitting percentage, nine digs and three blocks. The Vaqueros tallied 12 blocks as a team. Junior middle blocker Luisa Silva Dos Santos and sophomore middle blocker Margherita Giani recorded six and five blocks, respectively, and each tacked on six kills. Sophomore outside hitter Ingridy Foltran had nine kills. Sophomore setter Luanna Emiliano dished out 38 assists and tabbed 15 digs. Redshirt junior libero Regina Tijerina had a match-leading 27 digs. 
 
The Ragin' Cajuns were led offensively by Kelsey Bennett (19 kills) and Coco Gillett (13 kills). They had 10 total blocks, led by Kara Barnes' four. Reka Kotorman and Siena Decambra recorded 23 and 21 assists, and Bennett notched a team-high 22 digs. 
 
Five of Lousiana's blocks came in the opening set, helping them to a 25-22 win. The Vaqueros had a 15-7 lead, but the big block stymied their offensive efficiency and held them to a .094 hitting percentage. 
 
The Ragin' Cajuns jumped out to an 8-4 lead in the second set, but Cruz and the Vaqueros rallied back to tie the match at 1-1 with a 25-19 set victory. A solo block by Santos gave UTRGV its first lead at 12-11, then back-to-back kills by Foltran and sophomore outside hitter Ada Bulgur put the Vaqueros up 15-13. Giani and Co. got the block going in the frame to force a plethora of unforced errors by Louisiana. 
 
UTRGV dominated the third set and opened up a quick 7-0 lead. Cruz recorded the first three points of the frame on a kill, a block and another kill. Louisiana responded with a four-point run to trim the deficit to 14-9, but UTRGV's block quickly turned the tides back in its favor as Giani and Cruz took control on the net. The Vaqueros led by as many as eight points in the frame, won 25-17. 
 
UTRGV continued to roll in the fourth. Aces from Santos and junior outside hitter Ioanna Charitonidi put the Vaqueros up by four, then a string of blocks slowed down Louisiana and allowed them to open up a 19-11 advantage. Santos and Bulgur denied a Bennett attack to secure the victory 25-17 in the fourth. 

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