CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's volleyball team claimed three-straight set wins and shut down a late UTSA comeback bid en route to a 3-1 victory Saturday afternoon inside the Dugan Wellness Center.
Rachel Young and
Chloe Simon led the Islander attackers with 12 kills apiece, with
Hannah Froeschl completing the double-figure finishers with 10 kills while also contributing a pair of blocks. On the defensive side,
Carissa Barnes paced both squads with a game-high 24 digs.
The opening act set the tone for the afternoon, as both teams traded blows in a back-and-forth affair that saw 24 ties and 10 lead changes with neither squad leading by more than two points. In the end, UTSA strung together a pair of kills to break the deadlock and earn the slim 30-28 set win.
UTSA looked to remain hot with three-straight points to start the second, but the Islanders took advantage of Roadrunner miscues and kills from Simon and Froeschl to turn the tide before ripping five-consecutive points to stretch a 13-8 lead. The Roadrunners got no closer than four the rest of the way as A&M-Corpus Christi rolled to a 25-15 decision to even the match.
A&M-Corpus Christi claimed five of the opening six points in a span that saw Simon torch four-straight kills for an early 6-2 edge. A pair of Islander runs boosted it to a 17-9 cushion, but UTSA countered with its own 6-0 outburst to draw within two as both teams traded runs down the stretch before a Roadrunner service error handed A&M-Corpus Christi the 25-21 win and match lead.
Another extra-point affair bookended a four-set nail biter as UTSA erased a late deficit with a 6-0 streak and claimed the 22-19 advantage. UTSA looked poised to send it to a deciding set, but four-straight Roadrunner errors combined with critical kills from Froeschl and
Kylie Filipiak sealed the Islanders' second-straight victory.
The Islanders get a break before beginning Southland action on Thursday, Feb. 4 against preseason favorite Stephen F. Austin at 6:30 p.m. inside the Dugan Wellness Center.
Notes
- The 2-0 record marks the best season start for the Islanders since 2016.
- Rachel Young and Chloe Simon led the Islander attackers with 12 kills apiece, with Hannah Froeschl completing the double-figure finishers with 10 kills while also contributing a pair of blocks. On the defensive side, Carissa Barnes paced both squads with a game-high 24 digs.
- The Islanders' standout defensive shutdown held UTRGV to a .157 attack percentage in a crucial fourth-set win.
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