SHAWNEE, OKLA. – UT Tyler experienced mixed results despite outstanding performances from senior Mikayla Ware in a 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-18) win over Arkansas Tech and a 3-1 (22-25, 25-13, 27-29, 21-25) loss to Union on day one of the OBU Fall Tournament
 
Ware led the team in kills in both matches, with a career-high 25 kills in the second game against Union, and 12 kills against Arkansas Tech in the morning match. The San Antonio, Texas and returning 2021 AVCA Honorable Mention All-American selection posted hitting percentages of .306 and .297 in the pair of matches, and totaled 40 points between the two outings.
 
UT Tyler didn't allow Arkansas Tech to reach the 20-point threshold in a single set in the 3-0 morning sweep, posting 13 kills as a team in each set while committing a total of just nine attacking errors for the match. The Patriots posted a .248 hitting percentage in the outing with Ware leading the way with 12 kills, and Hattie Murray (9) and Evelyn Torres (8) joining in with high-kill totals.
 
The Patriots rode a 19-12 advantage to a 25-19 first set victory, and then closed out the second and third sets with 6-1 and 9-2 runs to secure the opening victory in Shawnee, Okla. Murray added five blocks, Savannah Guzman led the way with 14 digs, and sophomore Adeline Ortman manufactured an offense with 29 assists for the total-team victory for UT Tyler.
 
Neither offense found much efficiency in the second match of the day for the Patriots, as both UT Tyler and Union posted 20-plus attacking errors and never really settled into the match from an offensive standpoint. The difference proved to be the defense for Union, as the Bulldogs posted 12 total blocks to limit a UT Tyler offense to just a .186 hitting percentage in the match.
 
Union rattled off three unanswered points in the late stages of the first set to survive a closely contested opening frame with a 25-22 victory. Ware posted kills in six out of the first 10 points of set number two for UT Tyler in order to pace the Patriots to a 10-1 lead out of the gate.
 
UT Tyler made that early advantage count with a 25-13 second set victory, but couldn't seal the third set victory to take the lead in the match. The Patriots had Union down 25-24, but eventually let the lead slip away in extra points as Union won 29-27 before closing out UT Tyler with a 25-21 fourth set victory.
 
Ware had 25 kills in 64 swings for UT Tyler with just six errors, helped in large part by a solid effort from Ortman, who registered 41 assists in the match. Sophomore Addison Evans joined Ware and Ortman with a career high mark, posting 21 digs in the outing.
 
UT Tyler falls to 2-4 on the year, and will look to close out the OBU Fall Tournament tomorrow in matches against Newman and Texas A&M-Kingsville.