DALLAS -- UT Tyler posted its seventh straight win to open the 2021 spring volleyball campaign, collecting a four-set road victory (25-23, 25-16, 19-25, 27-25) over DBU Tuesday night.

In the third meeting between the teams this season, UT Tyler claimed the first two sets and ended the match in four sets by fighting off two set points for a 27-25 win. Kylee Becker recorded a season-high 16 kills to lead the Patriots, and Christina Escamilla also registered a season-high in kills with 13.

With the win, UT Tyler improved to 7-0 overall and holds a commanding lead in its four-team division in the Lone Star Conference. DBU is now 1-6.

How It Happened: UT Tyler answered a match-opening ace from DBU with three consecutive points and never trailed again in the opening set. The Patriots led by as many as 7 with a 15-8 lead midway through the set, and they still held a 6-point margin late in the set, 21-15. DBU responded with 8 of the next 11 points to close the gap to a single point, 24-23, but Kylee Becker finished off the set with a kill to give UT Tyler a 25-23 opening-set victory.

In the second set, UT Tyler turned an 18-16 edge into a runaway set win with 7 consecutive points to wrap up the set. Christina Escamilla started the set-clinching run with a kill, and a Maiya Peña block forced the first of four consecutive DBU attack errors. Taylor Stoops finished off the run with a kill and service ace to give the Patriots a two-set lead.

DBU finished the third set with a 10-5 run, staying alive in the match after turning a 15-14 lead midway through the set into a 25-19 win. Neither team led by more than 3 points until DBU surged to a 20-16 lead late in the fourth set, and after the teams traded sideouts, DBU still held a 4-point edge at 22-18. UT Tyler scored three consecutive points, cutting the margin to 22-21, but DBU had opportunities to force a fifth set with set points at 24-23 and 25-24. A mishandled set tied the match at 25-25, and UT Tyler closed out the match with back-to-back kills from Escamilla and Becker for the 27-25 victory.

By The Numbers: The Patriots have won six of their seven matches this season in either three or four sets… UT Tyler has won 9 of the 11 sets against DBU in the head-to-head season series… UT Tyler produced large team advantages in kills (60-44) and digs (76-63), but DBU picked up small edges in aces (4-2) and blocks (8-7)… The Patriots notched two sets with an attack percentage of .300 or better, converting at exactly .300 in the second set and .341 in the fourth set… For the sixth time in seven matches, UT Tyler held its opponent to a hitting percentage of .150 or lower.

UT Tyler Stat Leaders: Kylee Becker registered season-highs in kills (16) and digs (13), and Christina Escamilla also tallied a season-high 13 kills. Maiya Peña finished with a match-high 6 blocks, and Savannah Guzman was the Patriots' digs leader with 17. Callie Craus (27 assists) and Taylor Stoops (23 assists) combined for 50 assists, and Mikayla Ware added 9 kills and 12 digs.

DBU Stat Leaders: Carly Earnest led DBU with 11 kills and Sofia Black added 10 kills and 3 aces, while Alyssa Pevehouse produced a match-high 22 digs.

What's Next: UT Tyler wraps up the four-match season series with DBU with a Wednesday night visit to Dallas.