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Volleyball beats UTSA, improves to 4-0

PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 1:18 am
by PonyPride
From SMUMustangs.com:

SMU (4-0) Defeats UTSA on Friday

DALLAS - SMU beat UTSA 3-2 (21-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-27, 15-8) on Friday afternoon inside Moody Coliseum. The Mustangs begin the season 4-0 for the first time since 2010. Jadyn Bauss had career-highs in both kills (25) and digs (25) to lead the Mustangs attack. Bauss has now secured a double-double in all four games this season. SMU (4-0) also produced a season-high 74 kills.

Neither team had a lead of more than two points midway through the opening set. UTSA found a 5-0 run to push its lead to 19-14. UTSA (2-3) limited themselves to just three errors and were led by Alison Jennings with four kills to take the first set. Both teams battled in the second as the set was tied at 10 and again at 13. A 7-2 Mustangs advantage at this point in the set pushed SMU to its largest lead on the night with a 20-15 lead. Bauss converted four-straight kills to end the set for the Mustangs. SMU had a good hitting percentage in that set ending at .341.

Bauss combined for 12 kills in the second and third set and gave SMU a 2-1 advantage in the match. In the fourth, SMU had a 24-21 lead and looked to end the match, but the Roadrunners kept the match alive with three-straight points. UTSA eventually took this momentum for a 27-25 win to set up a fifth set. The Mustangs took advantage of some early mistakes by the Roadrunners by grabbing an 8-3 lead in the pivotal fifth set. SMU limited the Roadrunners to just four kills in this set. UTSA cut the lead down to three points twice, but SMU held tough and came away with the victory and the season sweep versus UTSA.

Makayla Miller and Zairyn Hemsley both had a career night receiving, as they both totaled a personal-best 20 digs. Bria' Merchant matched her career-best with 15 digs to boost the Mustangs. Lily Heim continued her excellent play with 57 assists to help set up the Mustangs at the net.

SMU begins conference play next week when the Mustangs host Houston on Thursday at 6 pm. This game will be broadcast on ESPN+.