TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler volleyball avenged an earlier-season loss to St. Mary's with a dominant 3-0 sweep on Tuesday night inside the Herrington Patriot Center, winning 25-12, 25-15 and 25-16 to improve to 17-4 overall and 8-3 in Lone Star Conference play.
The Patriots delivered one of their most efficient offensive performances of the season, recording 41 kills with just five errors on 79 attacks to hit .456 as a team. The victory came in response to a 3-1 loss to the Rattlers on Sept. 12 during the LSC Challenge, giving UT Tyler a measure of revenge while continuing its strong conference campaign.
UT Tyler established control early in the opening set, jumping out to a 4-0 lead behind kills from Melanie Merrill and a pair of St. Mary's attack errors. The Patriots continued to apply pressure at the net and extended their advantage throughout the frame, using a balanced offensive attack to build a 15-5 lead.
Kailey Manes and Miley Myers helped fuel the Patriots' momentum with timely kills, while the defense limited the Rattlers' opportunities to build any rhythm. UT Tyler closed out the opening set at 25-12, finishing with 16 kills on 26 attacks and an impressive .577 hitting percentage.
The Patriots carried that momentum into the second set, opening with another strong stretch to take an early advantage. Maya Jones and Manes provided key kills, while UT Tyler's blocking presence continued to disrupt the St. Mary's offense.
After the Rattlers attempted to stay within striking distance, the Patriots created separation midway through the set. UT Tyler strung together several points to extend its lead to 16-8, capitalizing on attack errors and maintaining pressure with its front-row defense.
The Patriots continued to control the action down the stretch, with Merrill, Manes and Myers contributing important points. UT Tyler secured the second set 25-15 to move within one set of completing the sweep.
St. Mary's showed more resistance in the third set, keeping the score closer through the middle stages after UT Tyler built an early lead. The Patriots maintained their composure, however, and began to pull away with a decisive late stretch.
Leading 17-15, UT Tyler found another gear. The Patriots scored eight of the next nine points, taking advantage of Rattler errors while Myers and Jones delivered key offensive plays. Makhai Lewis also helped anchor the defensive effort at the net as UT Tyler closed out the set 25-16 to secure the straight-set victory.
Myers led the Patriots with nine kills on 20 attacks, hitting .400, while Merrill and Jones each added strong contributions to an offense that consistently found openings against the Rattlers. The Patriots' defensive effort limited St. Mary's to 27 kills and a .080 hitting percentage, a stark contrast to UT Tyler's efficient attack. The Rattlers finished with 20 attack errors, as the Patriots consistently forced difficult offensive opportunities throughout the match.
With the victory, UT Tyler continues its push through the Lone Star Conference schedule and gains momentum heading into another week on the road. The Patriots will return to action Thursday when they travel to face Sul Ross State before heading to Western New Mexico on Saturday to close out the weekend's conference slate.
