TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler volleyball continued its strong season Saturday afternoon, earning a 3-0 sweep of Eastern New Mexico inside the Herrington Patriot Center. The Patriots claimed the Lone Star Conference victory by scores of 25-9, 25-21 and 25-16 to improve to 16-4 overall and 7-3 in conference play.
UT Tyler controlled the opening set from the start, establishing an early advantage and never allowing the Greyhounds to find their rhythm. The Patriots used an efficient offensive attack and a strong presence at the net to build a commanding lead, opening the match with a 25-9 win.
The Patriots recorded 13 kills without committing an attack error in the opening frame, hitting an impressive .520 as a team. UT Tyler also capitalized on Eastern New Mexico's offensive struggles, holding the Greyhounds to four kills and a -.152 hitting percentage. The Patriots' blocking presence helped force difficult attacking opportunities and set the tone for the remainder of the afternoon.
Miley Myers and Maya Jones helped lead the early offensive charge, while Makhai Lewis and Kailey Manes contributed at the net. Riley Clinton distributed the offense with nine assists in the opening set as UT Tyler quickly took control of the match.
Eastern New Mexico responded with a more competitive effort in the second set, challenging the Patriots throughout the frame. The Greyhounds grabbed an early lead and held an advantage as large as eight points at 10-2, putting pressure on UT Tyler to respond.
The Patriots gradually worked their way back into the set, finding their rhythm offensively and using a strong stretch of play to erase the deficit. Myers delivered consecutive kills during the comeback, helping UT Tyler regain momentum as the Patriots worked their way back into contention.
With the set tightening late, UT Tyler took control of the closing points. Myers continued to deliver at the net, recording key kills as the Patriots turned a close contest into a 25-21 victory.
The Patriots carried that momentum into the third set, using a balanced offensive effort to close out the sweep. After a competitive opening stretch, UT Tyler began to create separation with timely kills and defensive stops. The Patriots built their lead through the middle portion of the set before maintaining control down the stretch to secure a 25-16 win.
UT Tyler finished the match with 38 kills and an impressive .313 hitting percentage, while limiting Eastern New Mexico to 24 kills and a -.025 hitting percentage. The Patriots also held a 9-2 advantage in total blocks and finished with 53 digs.
Myers led the Patriots with 10 kills without committing an attack error, hitting .455 for the match. Jones added seven kills while hitting .462, and Lewis also recorded seven kills with a .500 hitting percentage. Autumn Perry contributed nine kills, eight digs and four total blocks, while Manes added six block assists to help anchor the defensive effort.
Clinton paced the offense with 29 assists and added seven digs and two block assists. Kaitlyn Davis led the Patriots with 13 digs, while Caroline Ashley contributed 10 digs as UT Tyler showcased its defensive depth.
UT Tyler will return to the Herrington Patriot Center on Tuesday to host St. Mary's in its next Lone Star Conference matchup. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. as the Patriots look to carry their momentum into another conference contest on their home court.
