Nov. 11, 2006
Box Score
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Freshman outside hitter Teena Sobczak collected a career-best 24 kills and senior libero Ashley Smith collected 33 digs, but it was not enough as UT Arlington fell 30-26, 24-30, 18-30, 25-30 to UT San Antonio Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center in regular-season finale for both teams.
UTSA (19-12, 11-5 SLC) looked to have control of the opening game as they used seven kills from Meagan Daniel to open a 25-20 advantage. The Mavs then showed why they are the best blocking team in the Southland Conference as a Teena Sobczak kill started an 8-0 run. The kill was followed by a block from Emily Nedderman and Gina Kalb, and was followed by a triple block from Nedderman, Kalb and Sobczak. Kalb and Sobczak combined on the third straight block and Ellen Murray followed with a service ace.
Following a Runner hitting error, UTA was back at the net with a block from Nedderman and Kalb and another from Sobczak and Kalb. Sobczak would set up game point with a kill and Nedderman would end things with a service ace.
The Roadrunners were back at it in the second game as they again opened up a big lead midway through the game. The Mavs waited too long to make their run in the second game and UTSA got a kill from Brittany Hildebrand and a block from Connie Pircard and Shannon Walker to end the game.
UTA (23-9, 12-4 SLC) never got into their groove in the third game and continued to fall further and further behind before dropping the game 18-30.
The Mavs looked poised to send the match to a fifth game as they opened a 15-10 lead on a Sobczak kill. The Roadrunners quickly regrouped and went on a 10-5 run to knot the score 20-20.
That would be the beginning of the end for the Mavs as UTSA seemed to get a second wind and pulled away down the stretch.
Smith's 33 digs on the night give her 777 on the season and she needs only 10 more digs to set a new SLC single-season record for digs in a season.
The Mavs return to action on Nov. 17 as they play Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the first round of the SLC Tournament in San Antonio. First serve is to be determined.
