RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros volleyball team swept Southland Conference (SLC) foe Nicholls, 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-22), Saturday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
The Vaqueros (6-7, 2-0 SLC) held the Colonels (7-8, 0-2 SLC) to a .076 hitting percentage in the match. Right side
Ema Petkovic led UTRGV with 13 kills, hitting .270. Outside hitter
Martina Franco added nine kills, and
Julianna Bryant chipped in five kills with a team-high four total blocks. Setter
Lana Rnjak posted a double-double with 27 assists and 12 digs. Defensive specialist and Brownsville St. Joseph alum
Carmina Tijerina registered a career high with five aces, doubling her season total coming into the match, and
Celianiz Cabranes led the defense with 14 digs.
For Nicholls,
Madison Smith and
Kera Arrington paced the offense with seven and six kills, respectively. Setters
Isabella Padilla and
Jenna Cicherski combined for 21 assists, and
Natalia Navarro led the defense with 13 digs.
It was a sloppy start for both teams in Set 1, but UTRGV took advantage with a Bryant solo block that made it 7-3. A pair of kills for Franco followed by an ace for Petkovic had the Vaqueros up 10-4. The Colonels climbed within one before a kill by Petkovic put UTRGV ahead 15-13.
Franco and
Aaliyah Snead came together for a block to start a run that kept the Vaqueros in front 19-16. A setter dump by Rnjak gave UTRGV match point and it turned to Petkovic who sent a ball down the line for the set, 25-21.
Both teams struggled to find a rhythm early in Set 2 as they split 11 errors to a 7-7 tie. UTRGV opened a 12-9 lead on a kill from Franco, but a run by Nicholls tied the set at 16-16. Back-to-back aces by Tijerina made it 22-19 for UTRGV. Petkovic closed out the set with three straight kills as the Vaqueros claimed it, 25-20.
The Colonels jumped out to a 7-5 lead in the third set. Another pair of aces from Tijerina capped a 6-0 run for UTRGV that made it 14-8. Bryant brought the crowd to its feet with a kill to make it 19-13. Consecutive kills by
Tierney Terrell sparked a five-point run for Nicholls to cut the lead to three. Tijerina's fifth ace earned match point for UTRGV and a kill by Petkovic clinched the sweep, 25-22.
The Vaqueros three-match homestand continues Thursday with a School Day, presented Whataburger, conference match at 12 p.m. against UIW at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
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