Oct. 31, 2008
Box Score
ARLINGTON, Texas - The offense and defense of freshman Amanda Aguilera and junior Teena Sobczak helped lead UT Arlington to its second consecutive home victory with a 25-18, 19-25, 26-24, 25-17, win over McNeese State on Friday night at Texas Hall. The victory moves the Mavericks to 2-9 in Southland Conference play and to 6-19 overall. The Cowgirls remain in third place in the SLC Eastern Division with a 4-6 league mark and fall to 8-14 overall.
"I felt from the start that our focus was there," UT Arlington head coach Diane Seymour said. "I think we out hustled McNeese State, and I felt like defensively we were able to put a few more balls on target to run our offense efficiently."
Aguilera notched her seventh double-double of the season while leading the Mavericks with 19 kills and 23 digs, which is the most digs by any UT Arlington player this season.
"I think playing here at home is a good situation for us," Seymour said. "I was definitely excited to see us beat them in the first set and then be able to maintain that to finish the match."
Sobczak posted her first double-double of the season with a season-high 12 kills and 15 digs.
"In the frontcourt, I have been working hard to do what I can to benefit the team," Sobczak said. "I have just tried to be smart and to put the ball where they are not."
The Mavericks and Cowgirls were knotted up at 14 before UT Arlington went on an 8-2 run which led the Mavs to a 25-18 first-set victory. The Mavericks committed only one attack error and hit .341 with 15 kills and 41 swings in the set.
Aguilera and Sobczak started the Mavericks' offense with five kills and four kills, respectively. Sophomore setter Raegan Daniel got the offense going as well with 11 assists and she equaled freshman Christy Driscoll's three blocks in the first set.
The Mavericks led 14-9 in the second frame, but then two McNeese State kills and three UT Arlington hitting errors led to a Maverick timeout with the score tied at 14. Despite Aguilera's six kills in the second set, the Cowgirls evened the match at 1-1 with a 25-19 win.
Aguilera took a double-double (11 kills, 10 digs) with her into the locker room at intermission after the Cowgirls hit .324 and UT Arlington stumbled with a .179 hitting percentage in the second set.
"I think I came in a little slow and I wasn't getting that many digs so I knew I had to pick up my game," Aguilera said. "When we have a lot of our hitters doing well, it is hard for the defense to know who to try and block."
UT Arlington pulled out the third set, 26-24, after seven lead changes and 13 ties gave both team's hope of taking the lead in the match. The Mavericks defense was the key factor in the third-set with 24 digs, highlighted by freshman libero Alicia Shaffer's nine digs. Shaffer, Aguilera and Sobczak combined for 20 digs in the third set.
The Mavs led by as many as eight points (20-12) in the fourth set as they put away the Cowgirls, 25-17. Driscoll notched five kills, giving her 11 for the match, and Sobczak added four kills to give the Mavericks the victory.
McNeese State was led by sophomore Amanda Allen's 31 digs, which is the most digs by any opposing player this season. The Cowgirls were also led by Ayshin Vasser (12 kills, 11 digs) and Chanel Tyler (10 kills, 17 digs).
The Mavericks will have a quick turnaround as they host SLC Eastern Division leader Stephen F. Austin (16-6, 7-3) for a 4 p.m. first serve on Saturday, Nov. 1, at Texas Hall.
MATCH NOTES:
UT Arlington improves to 29-14 all time against McNeese State, with a 16-5 record in matches played in Arlington... The Mavericks' 180 attempts are a season high and their 78 digs equal a season-best... Freshman Emily Shearin recorded a season-high 15 attempts... Sobczak not only posted season highs in kills (12) and digs (15) but also in attempts (42)... Aguilera marked new season highs in attempts (61) and digs (23)... Daniel equaled career highs in kills (8), attempts (17) and blocks (4).
