TYLER, Texas – UT Tyler made itself right at home in its new conference, picking up a three-set sweep in its first-ever Lone Star Conference contest Friday night at the Herrington Patriot Center, defeating Texas A&M International in three sets, 25-19, 26-24, 25-19.
 
Freshman outside hitter Kylee Becker led the Patriots' balanced offense with a team-high 12 kills, and sophomore Hannah Callison produced 10 kills and a .562 hitting percentage in two sets of action as the Patriots produced their third consecutive three-set sweep to improve to 6-3 overall and 1-0 in Lone Star Conference play.
 
How It Happened: UT Tyler shook off some opening-set jitters in its Lone Star Conference opener, surrendering six of the first seven points before reeling off six consecutive points to take a 7-6 lead. Texas A&M International regained the lead in the middle of the first set and led for the final time at 16-13 before Savannah Guzman served another 6-0 run to spark the Patriots to a 12-3 run to close out the opening set with a 25-19 win.
 
After sitting out the opening set, Hannah Callison started the second set and produced seven of the Patriots' 18 kills in a 26-24 win.  UT Tyler fought off set point, answering a 24-23 deficit with three straight points for the last of five lead changes and 12 tie scores in the second set. Kayla McCoy registered a kill to tie the set at 24-24, and Kaitlyn Budisalovich followed with a kill for a 25-24 edge, and the pair teamed up for a set-clinching block that finished off the 26-24 win.
 
The Patriots took the lead for good in the final set when they erased a 10-8 deficit with seven straight points to take a 15-10 lead.  Hattie Murray and Yates Barker each recorded a pair of kills in the 7-0 run, and McCoy finished it with an ace that gave UT Tyler a 15-10 edge. Texas A&M International responded with five straight points, tying the set at 15-15, and the Dustdevils drew even again at 18-18 before Barker broke the tie with her third kill of the set. The Patriots scored seven of the final eight points to close out another 25-19 set win and clinch the match victory.
 
Lone Star Conference Firsts:

• First UT Tyler serve in Lone Star Conference play: Makenna Bartlett
• First kill: Kaitlyn Budisalovich
• First block: Christina Escamilla & Kayla McCoy
• First assist: Taylor Stoops
• First dig: Taylor Stoops
• First service ace: Savannah Guzman
• First double-double: Kylee Becker (12 kills, 12 digs)

 
By The Numbers: UT Tyler produced a .298 hitting percentage for the match, surpassing .300 in the first (.333) and third (.341) sets… Both teams finished with five blocks and six aces, but the Patriots' balanced offense produced 52 kills to the Dustdevils' 31-kill total.
 
UT Tyler Stat Leaders: Kylee Becker finished with 12 kills and a match-high 12 digs… Hannah Callison joined her in double figures in kills with 10, and Savannah Guzman and Taylor Stoops finished with 11 digs each… Kayla McCoy was in on three of the Patriots' five blocks in the match… Taylor Stoops and Gracie Sutherland split the setting duties, combining for 40 assists as Stoops recorded 23 assists with Sutherland adding 17.
 
Texas A&M International Stat Leaders: Mackenzie Catalina registered match-high 13 kills, but no other player registered more than six kills for the Dustdevils… Hannah Semon notched 11 digs, and Elicia Jackson posted three blocks to lead the Dustdevils in those categories.
 
What's Next: UT Tyler returns to action Saturday afternoon for the second half of the Lone Star Conference's regular Friday/Saturday schedule.  The Patriots host Texas A&M-Kingsville, which lost Friday night's conference opener in a three-set sweep at No. 21-ranked A&M-Commerce.

Postgame Interviews (via @UTTylerPatriots Twitter) with UT Tyler head coach Lyndsay Mashe and sophomore Hannah Callison
 

Post-match reaction: @uttyler_vball sophomore Hannah Callison, who finished with 10 kills in just 2 sets of action in the Patriots' Lone Star Conference-opening sweep Friday night. #LoneStarFirst pic.twitter.com/VdrzCjk4cC

— UT Tyler Patriots (@uttylerpatriots) September 21, 2019