TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler women's volleyball moved to 7-0 in LSC play on Friday night behind a 3-0 sweep over Eastern New Mexico with scoreds of 25-13, 25-11, and 25-18.
 
As a team, the Patriots collected 47 total kills on 90 attacks as Kota Hartman and Autumn Perry each tallied 14 kills. Setter Sage Rivera tacked on 42 assists for the night in a strong display from the Patriots on the offensive side.
 
The Patriots got things going quickly in set one, securing a 5-2 lead behind three kills from Hartman to set the early tone. That lead grew out to 10-4 before the Greyhounds were forced to call a timeout in an attempt to quell the momentum. The two teams would trade blows following the break, but an 8-3 run from the Patriots that included kills from four different players to all but put the set away.
 
In set two, UT Tyler found the early momentum yet again, running out to a 6-0 lead thanks to three attack errors from the Greyhounds and another pair of kills from Hartman. The Greyhounds would battle back, closing the gap to just three at 8-5 before the Patriots stepped on the gas pedal. They rattled off four points with two kills coming from Perry, one from Hartman, and Dakota Rogers-Hurtado recording a big block to make it 12-5.
 
The key moment came just a few points later, as the Patriots again rattled off four straight points on their way to a 21-8 lead before closing out the set at 25-11 and taking a big two set advantage. In the second set alone, the Patriots hit a blistering .500 while holding the Greyhounds to just -.138.
 
The Greyhounds took their only lead of the night on the opening point of the third set, but UT Tyler came back with four straight points behind a kill from Makhai Lewis and another pair from Hartman to make it 4-1. The Patriots again went on a four point streak to make it 11-4, but the Greyhounds came out of a timeout with a 13-7 run of their own to cut the lead down to just one point at 18-17.
 
However, just as they had done all night, the Patriots answered with their own run to silence the comeback hopes, scoring seven of the next eight points behind four Perry kills to take the final set at a score of 25-18.
 
Jackie Velzis recorded eight kills, Makhai Lewis recorded five, and Addison Evans picked up 13 digs in the contest.
 
As a team, the Patriots .411 hitting percentage is their highest in any contest this season, and the .011 hitting percentage from the Greyhounds was the lowest for a Patriots opponent on the year.
 
Next up for the Patriots will be a showdown with #9 West Texas A&M on Saturday inside the Herrington Patriot Center. That game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. first serve.