ALPINE, Texas — UT Tyler volleyball continued their dominant play this week as they swept Sul Ross St. 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-14) on Thursday. The Patriots hit .405 in the third set and used a 12-0 run in the frame to close out the match. The Patriots have recorded at least 45 kills in three consecutive matches.
The Patriots opened the first set with two points, but the Lobos tied it at 2-2 as the teams traded points until the score reached 11-11. Melanie Merrill, Kailey Manes and Riley Clinton would help the Patriots go on a four point stretch to make the score 15-11. After Sul Ross tied the set at 15, the Patriots moved back in front behind kills from Manes and Miley Myers along with an Anna Arceneaux service ace to lead 19-15. They then pushed the margin to 22-17 on a Maya Jones kill and a Sul Ross St. setting error. Sul Ross St. closed within 22-21, but the Patriots took the final three points on a service error, a Myers ace and a Clinton kill to finish the set 25-21.
In the second set the Lobos opened up the scoring but kills by Autumn Perry, a Makhai Lewis ace and Perry block helped the Patriots move in front 5-3. The Patriots came back from a 19 to 15 deficit to tie it thanks to a Clinton kill, a Merrill block, and a Kaitlyn Davis ace. SRS would take a 23-21 lead late in the set, but Jones' two kills, around a Sul Ross St. attack error, and a block by Lewis would close a 25-23 set win for the Patriots.
UT Tyler would dominate in set three taking control with 12 straight points to build a 19-6 lead. The run was possible thanks to kills from Sydney Atkinson, Lewis, Clinton, Jones and Faith Wilkins, along with Sul Ross St. errors. Mia Cross would finish the set and match with a kill from Kate Christiansen for a 25-14 Patriots win.
Jones led the Patriots with 11 kills, with a hitting percentage of .348 and added three blocks. Clinton recorded 26 assists, along with a season-high 10 digs and nine kills while hitting .500. Atkinson has posted a hitting percentage of at least .375 in two consecutive matches and Arceneaux collected a team-high 20 digs and added a service ace.
The Patriots are 18-4 overall and 9-3 in Lone Star Conference play after the win. UT Tyler will take on Western New Mexico in their next matchup as they head to Silver City. The Patriots will take the court this Saturday Oct 25, at noon.
