AUSTIN, TEXAS – UT Tyler volleyball stayed undefeated in LSC play as they moved to 3-0 in conference and 7-6 overall after a 3-2 win over St. Edward's on Tuesday night.
 
The Patriots totaled 61 kills on the night on a .249 hitting percentage while adding in eight aces and 58 total assists to take the dramatic win.
 
UT Tyler rolled in set one, hitting .270 and adding three aces while holding St. Edward's to just a .089 hitting percentage. The Patriots ran on a key 5-0 run early in the set, taking advantage of two Kaitlyn Davis aces and three errors from the Hilltoppers.
 
Another key run came just a few points later, as the Patriots took six of eight points as Autumn Perry added three kills while Saige Rivera added a kill of her own along with an ace. The set would be closed on a 5-3 run as Kota Hartman and Alyson Robbins each collected kills while the Hilltoppers posted three more errors.
 
Set two would see a back-and-forth affair to begin, with Hartman, Faith Wilkins, Rivera, and Audrey Brandon each earning kills in the first six Patriots points. The Patriots continued the offensive slugfest in the middle portion of the set, eventually taking a 13-10 lead as Perry and Hartman each recorded a pair of kills.
 
The Patriots again took a three point lead at 18-15 thanks to kills from Perry and Brandon, but the Hilltoppers caught fire with a 6-1 run that eventually grew into a 10-3 run as they took the set to even the match.
 
The two teams battled early yet again in the third, but the Patriots held their own with three point leads at both 10-7 and 12-9. A big block from Wilkins and Perry gave the Patriots a 15-12 lead, but the Hilltoppers answered with a 3-0 run. Two more 3-0 runs in the set would eventually lead to a 23-19 lead for St. Edward's, and they closed out a 25-20 win to take set three.
 
Needing an answer, the Patriots stormed ahead in the fourth, running out to an 8-2 lead as Robbins and Wilkins picked up kills and combined on a block and Emma Vazquez and Bella Briceno each added an ace. That lead would continue at 11-6, but a 4-0 run from the Hilltoppers brought them within one.
 
The key moment came at 14-12 Patriots, as Davis connected on a kill that spurred a 7-0 run from UT Tyler as Robbins added a kill and another block with Bradon and Vazquez added two more aces. That ran the score out to 21-12, and the Patriots controlled the set on their way to a 25-15 win.
 
The two teams would trade blows yet again to open the deciding fifth set, but a 3-0 run from the Hilltoppers saw them take a 7-4 lead. The Patriots responded with a. 3-1 run as Brandon and Perry picked up kills, but another 3-0 run from St. Edward's made it 11-7.
 
With the match on the edge, the Patriots rallied with a 3-0 run with Perry and Hartman leading the charge. Jackie Velzis would enter and pick up two clutch kills to cap off a 4-0 run, putting the Patriots ahead 14-12. The Hilltoppers added one more point, but the match would close on an error and the Patriots took a 15-13 win.
 
Alyson Robbins, Kota Hartman, and Autumn Perry recorded 14, 13, and 10 kills in the effort. Saige Rivera would add 49 assists and four kills. Vazquez and Davis each recorded three aces, and Anna Arceneaux lead the team with 26 digs.
 
UT Tyler will return to the Herrington Patriot Center this Saturday as they welcome UT Dallas as part of Fall Fest.