TYLER, TEXAS – A pair of 3-1 victories over Fort Lewis and Union solidified an unbeaten weekend at the 2023 Patriot Classic for (RV) UT Tyler.
 
The Patriots hit .289 as a unit between the two matches, putting down 56 and 64 kill totals respectively, to begin the 2023 season with an unblemished record. UT Tyler rode two opening set victories for their first 3-1 (25-10, 25-22, 24-26, 28-26) win of the day over Fort Lewis, and then produced a tournament-best offensive match in the 3-1 (25-17, 22-25, 26-24, 25-12) win over Union.
 
UT Tyler hit .338 in the win over Union, their best output of the young season, and benefitted from double-digit kills outputs by a trio of Patriots in Shaye Koski (17), Jackie Velzis (15) and Jeorgia Jones (10). Koski led the Patriots in kills in both matches once again on Saturday afternoon, turning in 17-kill performances in both victories to average 4.25 kills per set for the tournament.
 
It was largely the defense that captained UT Tyler to their opening victory of the day against Fort Lewis, as the Patriots totaled 12 blocks and out-dug the Falcons by an 85-71 margin. That work limited Fort Lewis to just a .116 hitting percentage for the match and less than 15 kills in all four sets.
 
Middle blockers Maiya Peña and Dakota Rogers-Hurtado both provided five blocks in the match, while libero Adeline Ortman (22) and setter Jenna White (19) each notched double-digit digs totals.
 
The Patriot offense posted an attack percentage of .245 for the match, putting down 56 kills in 155 swings with just 18 errors. UT Tyler dominated the opening set behind a steady offensive output, and truly seized control of the first set of the day with a 12-point run coming out of the 12-9 mark to open a 24-9 lead.
 
A quick start to the second set once again proved vital as Fort Lewis responded after trailing 15-5 with a 12-3 run to cut the deficit to just 18-17. UT Tyler never relinquished the lead however, and jumped ahead 2-0 in the match with a 25-22 set victory.
 
Fort Lewis closed out the final four points of the third set after UT Tyler reached match point at the 24-22 mark to win 26-24. The fourth set featured 11 different ties before Koski knocked down the final three kills of the match to help UT Tyler move to 3-0 on the year with a 28-26 fourth set win.
 
The freshman hit .204 in the match with 17 kills on 49 swings, while Velzis added 12 kills on 25 swings for a .440 hitting percentage. UT Tyler out-blocked Fort Lewis by a 12-to-4 margin and out-dug the Falcons by an 85-to-71 mark to provide the difference in the match on the defensive side of the net.
 
Match number two of the tournament was largely the best offensive duel of the tournament, as UT Tyler posted their best hitting percentage and kill total of the young season, and still needed their best volleyball to upend the Bulldogs to finish the weekend 4-0. The Patriots started fast once again, a theme that developed throughout the weekend at the 2023 Patriot Classic, opening a 16-7 lead in set one.
 
Union answered with seven unanswered points to cut the score to 16-14, before UT Tyler followed suit and rattled off a run of seven points of their own to extend the lead back out to 23-17 en route to a 25-17 victory. Union used yet another seven-point run in nearly the same portion of the second set to this time overcome the Patriots for a 25-22 victory.
 
Both teams posted hitting percentages north of .400 in that second frame, as UT Tyler totaled 18 kills and Union 17. Set three was another offensive showcase, as the Patriots notched 19 kills on 37 swings, and Union 15 kills on 33 swings.
 
UT Tyler trailed 22-19 in the later stages of the third set, but jumped ahead 2-1 in the match with a 7-2 run to close out the frame.
 
The Patriots proved to be the squad to keep that offensive movement going in the fourth set, as they posted 14 kills and just two attacking errors while Union managed just seven kills and a .069 team hitting percentage. UT Tyler opened with a 12-3 run and never looked back, officially moving to 4-0 with a 25-12 fourth set win.
 
Koski (17) and Velzis (15) both reached double-digit kill totals once again, while sophomore Jeorgia Jones put down 10 kills on 15 swings to record a hitting percentage of .200 for the match. Koski added a .378 clip of her own, while Velzis joined the efficiency party with a .357 hitting percentage.
 
Junior Adeline Ortman went for 32 assists while Evans (23) and fellow defensive specialist Makayla Villareal (13) each reached the double-digit dig threshold.
 
UT Tyler will now shift their attention to an elite field of volleyball at the Colorado Premier Tournament in Denver, Colo. next weekend. The Patriots will meet #4 Wayne State and #18 Regis, a pair of perennial powers in the realm of Division II volleyball, on Friday afternoon, and then await their opponents on Saturday based off the day one results.