EDMOND, OKLA. – The UT Tyler volleyball program took the opening set Saturday afternoon but was unable to close out Oklahoma Christian, falling 3-1 (25-27, 25-23, 25-20, 25-23) in Lone Star Conference play at Eagles' Nest.
The Patriots move to 10-2 overall and 1-1 in Lone Star Conference play following the setback, while Oklahoma Christian improves to 6-6 overall and 1-1 in league action.
UT Tyler opened the match with a strong offensive performance, hitting .314 as a team with 15 kills in the first set. The Patriots battled through a back-and-forth opening frame before taking the 27-25 victory to grab an early 1-0 lead.
Maya Jones led the Patriots' attack throughout the afternoon, finishing with a match-high 16 kills while hitting .440. Sydney Atkinson added nine kills while hitting .348, and Autumn Perry contributed seven kills along with four blocks.
Oklahoma Christian answered in the second set, edging the Patriots 25-23 to even the match. UT Tyler recorded 11 kills in the frame but hit .174, while the Eagles hit .095. The Patriots held the advantage at the net with their blocking throughout the match, but Oklahoma Christian's serving and defensive play helped keep the Eagles within striking distance.
The Eagles then used a strong third set to take their first lead of the match. Oklahoma Christian hit .393 in the frame while holding UT Tyler to a .194 attack percentage, taking the set 25-20.
UT Tyler responded in the fourth set with 13 kills and a .310 hitting percentage, but Oklahoma Christian matched the Patriots offensively and finished the match with a 25-23 fourth-set victory. The Eagles hit .323 in the final frame to secure the 3-1 victory.
The Patriots finished the match with 52 kills and a .254 hitting percentage, compared to 55 kills and a .256 mark for Oklahoma Christian. UT Tyler held a 10-7 advantage in blocks, led by Makhai Lewis with seven total blocks. Lewis also added three kills, while Atkinson recorded nine kills and a pair of blocks.
Riley Clinton and Kate Christiansen each finished with 22 assists to lead the Patriots' setting effort, while Anna Arceneaux paced the defense with eight digs. Mia Cross added three service aces, and the Patriots finished with four aces as a team.
UT Tyler will look to bounce back in its next match against UT Dallas as the Patriots continue Lone Star Conference play.
