RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros volleyball team fell 3-1 (25-22, 26-24, 21-25, 26-24) to the Northwestern State Lady Demons, in a Southland Conference (SLC) match Saturday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse in Edinburg.
The Vaqueros (14-11, 10-4 SLC) forced extra points in two sets, including a second set that was tied 16 times. Outside hitter
Martina Franco led UTRGV with 15 kills and added 13 digs for a double-double. Redshirt junior Harlingen high alum
Julianna Bryant had 13 kills, five blocks and two aces, and middle blocker
Aaliyah Snead added 11 kills and five blocks. Setter
Lana Rnjak dished out 39 assists and had 12 digs. Senior libero
Celianiz Cabranes led the defense with 20 digs, and freshman defensive specialist
Dunja Stankovic added nine.
For Northwestern State (14-15, 6-8 SLC),
Olivia Nzioki led the way with 18 kills, hitting .250, and four blocks.
Elizabeth Muguruza added 15 kills, and
Elsie Sanchez had 12. Setter
Jade Longlad had 54 assists, and
Emmarie McFarland led the defense with 18 digs.
UTRGV jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the first set behind kills from Snead and Bryant, and Franco's serve, including an ace, helped build a 17-13 advantage. The set was tied six times before the Lady Demons ran off five straight points behind
Anna Claire Hebert's serve to go up 23-18. UTRGV answered with three straight points on kills from Franco and Bryant to get within two, but a kill by Nzioki closed the set, 25-22.
The second set was tied 16 times. UTRGV led 18-16 after a Snead kill and an error forced by Rnjak's serve. Northwestern State responded with a four-point run and took a 20-18 lead. The Vaqueros fought back, tying it at 21-21 and again at 22-22 on a Bryant kill, and led 23-22 before the Lady Demons tied it again. UTRGV pulled even at 24-24, but consecutive blocks by the Lady Demons ended Set 2, 26-24.
UTRGV took control of the third set after senior
Isa Bento came in to serve and produced a 4-0 run to make it 9-4. Northwestern State cut it to 9-7 before outside hitter
Soukeyna Diouf's kill started a six-point run. Rnjak served five straight, with a Snead kill, a Snead and Diouf block, and a kill by freshman
Jasmyn Walker, to make it 15-7. Northwestern State was able to pull within two, but Franco and Bryant helped reclaim the lead, 23-18. The Vaqueros closed it out with a kill by Franco to take the set, 25-21.
Northwestern State opened the fourth set with a 4-0 run and led 9-4, but UTRGV battled back behind kills from Franco, Bryant and Snead and a Franco and Bryant block to tie it at 15-15. Bryant then came in to serve for the first time in two weeks and had back-to-back aces to put UTRGV up 18-15. The Lady Demons tied it at 21-21, and the teams traded points until a Bryant kill made it 23-23 and a Rnjak and Bryant block gave UTRGV a 24-23 lead. Northwestern State scored the final three points to take the set, 26-24, and the match.
UTRGV plays at UIW at 6 p.m. Thursday at the McDermott Center in San Antonio.
Support UTRGV Vaqueros™ |
Become a Fan on Facebook |
Follow us on Twitter |
Follow us on Instagram |
Follow us on YouTube
