TYLER, TEXAS – The UT Tyler volleyball team struggled to get going offensively and suffered an upset loss at the hands of Texas A&M International by a 3-2 (25-19, 20-25, 25-20, 24-26, 11-15) final tally.
 
The Patriots had match point in the fourth set up 24-21, but five straight points from the Dustdevils completely turned the tide of the contest and allowed Texas A&M International to force a fifth set. Texas A&M International secured the 15-11 victory in that final frame, snapping the Patriot's 18 straight regular season home match winning streak.
 
Senior Mikayla Ware led the Patriots with 18 kills, while junior Evelyn Torres chipped in 15 to highlight a slow offensive outing for the squad. The Patriot's defense stood strong, as five different players total double-digit digs, led by a 19-dig output from senior Savannah Guzman.
 
UT Tyler hit just .146 as a team, and committed an uncharacteristic 29 attacking errors in the contest, while putting down 59 kills. The Patriots defensive work at the net kept them in the majority of the match with 14.0 total blocks, but the cold offensive effort for UT Tyler ultimately couldn't be overcome in the late stages.
 
UT Tyler led 2-1 in the match after 25-19 and 25-20 first and third set victories, but couldn't manage to close out the match when the opportunity presented itself in the fourth set. The Patriots built a 22-18 advantage, and then put themselves a point away from securing the win at 24-21, but allowed five straight Dustdevil points to force a deciding fifth set.
 
The Patriots eclipsed the 15-kill mark in just one set, and only managed a set-best .216 hitting percentage in the opening frame.
 
UT Tyler closed out set one on a five-point run of their own, securing the 25-19 win, and then responded to a second set Texas A&M International victory by opening up a 15-8 lead in the third set. Texas A&M International played well once again in the late stages of the fifth set after coming from behind in the fourth, closing out the match on a 6-2 run to move to 14-4 on the year and 5-0 in Lone Star Conference play.
 
Ware and Adeline Ortman both reached double-double figures as Ware notched 18 kills and 15 digs and Ortman 37 assists and 17 digs. Seniors Hattie Murray and Hannah Callison led the blocking effort with six and five respectively.
 
UT Tyler falls to 11-7 on the year and 4-3 in Lone Star Conference play. The Patriots will return to their home court tomorrow at noon against Texas A&M-Kingsville.