Sept. 15, 2006
Box Score
TULSA, Okla. - The UT Arlington volleyball team is making a habit of needing all five games to win a match and Friday morning was no exception as the Mavs needed all five games to defeat Utah State 30-26, 25-30, 30-26, 25-30, 15-9 in the first match of the Oral Roberts Classic. The five-set victory improves the Mavs to 4-1 in five-set matches this season.
UTA took advantage of three Aggies errors to open a 5-2 advantage in the decisive game. USU responded with the next four points to take a 6-5 lead. The Mavs would take over from there as a kill by Ashley Smith sparked a 4-0 run that took the lead for good.
The Aggies would get back to within two points, but kills from Ellen Murray and Teena Sobczak, along with a block from Emily Nedderman and Gina Kalb set the Mavs up for victory. Sobczak would set up match point with a kill and Nedderman would end things with her fifth service ace of the match.
The Mavs (9-4) came out strong in the opening game as they never trailed and took the lead for good at 15-14 on a kill by Kalb. UTA surged ahead from that point and pushed the advantage to 23-17 on a kill from Sobczak and a block from Kalb and Nedderman. Dani Johnson would put a ball away to set up game point, but the Aggies rattled off four straight points to pull within three before a service error ended the game.
USU (5-6) took control of a 16-16 game in the second game as they scored four straight points for the 20-16 advantage. Trailing by five late, Sobczak began a 4-0 run with a kill. She was followed by a Nedderman ace, Johnson kill and a block from Sobczak and Michelle Schwartz. The Mavs would not get any closer as a pair of kills by Danielle Taylor gave the Aggies the five-point victory.
The Aggies looked to have control of the third game as they raced out to a 0-5 advantage, before the Mavs awoke and stormed to a 10-7 advantage. UTA would continue to push ahead and opened up its largest lead of the game at 27-20. The Aggies would climb back into the game on three straight kills from Amanda Nielson before a Murray kill ended the game.
The fourth game looked to be a runaway for the Aggies as they opened a 15-7 advantage. UTA responded with a 9-1 run that ended with two kills from Sobczak to tie the score 16-16. The Mavs would actually open up a 20-17 advantage before USU took back the lead on a kill from Hailey Jeppson. The Mavs would never be able to recover as the Aggies used a 6-2 advantage down the stretch to even the match.
A balanced attack was again the key to victory as four Mavs were in double figures in kills. Johnson led the way with 15 kills, followed by Torie Dacus with 14, Murray 11 and Sobczak 10. Smith led the digs parade with 26, followed by Johnson with 25, Dacus 14 and Nedderman 11.
UTA continued to dominate at the net as they had 16 total team blocks. Murray had nine block assists and Nedderman had one solo and six block assists.
The Mavs return to action later this evening as they take on Oral Roberts at 7 p.m.
