Nov. 15, 2008
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ARLINGTON, Texas - The UT Arlington volleyball team dropped its season finale to UTSA 20-25, 22-25, 25-19, 21-25, on Senior Night as Maverick seniors Ally Wade and Michelle Schwartz were recognized before their final match at Texas Hall.
Freshman Amanda Aguilera finished the match with a team-high 19 kills and recorded her 10th double-double in conference play with 13 digs. Five Mavericks finished with double-figure digs as junior Teena Sobczak led the team with 15.
"From where we started to where we are today, we are tremendously better," UT Arlington head coach Diane Seymour said. "You are measured on wins and losses, but our last three matches we have played some very good volleyball."
The Mavericks were down two points in the first set (13-15) before UTSA freshman Amber Brooks started to serve and when she finished the Roadrunners led 22-14. Brooks notched three aces during that span and helped guide UTSA to a first set victory, 25-20.
After falling 25-22 in the second set, UT Arlington received six kills from Aguilera in the third set to lead them to a 25-19 win.
"I think that our volleyball has improved a lot," Aguilera said. "I have learned that you have to be vocal, you have to have the will to win and you have to be intense - your skill alone won't take you to where you want to go."
Seymour feels that Aguilera's efforts during her freshman season may rank her with the best in UT Arlington history.
"We have asked a lot out of Amanda Aguilera, and I have the utmost respect for her and I know her teammates do as well," Seymour said. "She is the cornerstone of where we are headed. I don't know if she realizes that but I certainly do. She had one of the best years of any freshmen in the conference, without a doubt, and possibly had one of the best seasons of any freshman in UT Arlington history."
UTSA was able to hold on and claimed victory in the fourth set as four Roadrunners finished with double figures in kills, led by junior middle blocker Stefanie Robbins (match-high 20).
Sophomore setter Raegan Daniel finished the match with her team-leading 11th double-double with 41 assists and 12 digs. Freshman Alicia Shaffer tallied 14 digs, freshman Lauren Carpenter finished with 12 digs and freshman middle blocker Emily Shearin led all players with seven blocks.
Wade led all players with a .414 hitting percentage (14 kills, 2 errors, 29 attempts) with one dig and two blocks in her final match as a Maverick.
Seymour feels that Wade and Schwartz' contributions to the UT Arlington program go far beyond the statistics in a box score.
"They both had tremendous career," Seymour said. "I know it is tough for a Michelle Schwartz, who can't see the reward in playing time, but she has been an important part of this. She has been a good role model for the kids in this program. She has been a good leader for the middle blockers. I know her teammates respect her and I respect Michelle Schwartz and what she has done here."
"I'm very proud of the season Ally had. She waited a long time for this and she worked extremely hard last spring and we gave her that opportunity. Even when she would have a tough match I would always be proud of the way she would bounce back.
Wade finished her senior season second on the team averaging 2.29 kills per set, and her 197 total kills ranked third on the team.
"I just tried to do my best for this program," Wade said. "I knew we needed a leader and I wanted to be the leader. If I had an off night, I would try to be a vocal leader. I knew this weekend I didn't have any pressure, I just wanted to go out there and have fun. I think that is what I did, and in doing so it made me play better."
MATCH NOTES:
UT Arlington dropped to 25-11 all time against UTSA, with a 16-2 record in Arlington... Wade's .414 hitting percentage was a season-high... Shearin finished the season with at least five blocks in eight different matches... Aguilera's 314 kills led the Mavericks this season and ranks eighth on the all-time UT Arlington freshmen list... she finished with a team-leading 939 attempts which also puts her in the UT Arlington freshmen record books at No. 5 all time... Aguilera moved in at No. 10 all time on the UT Arlington freshman record book with 303 digs... Christy Driscoll ranks eighth all time in the UT Arlington freshman record books with a .243 hitting percentage, which is the best hitting percentage for a freshman since 2005 (Torie Dacus, .257)... Shaffer led the Mavericks with 387 digs, placing her No. 5 in the all-time UT Arlington freshmen record book... freshmen Emily Shearin and Christy Driscoll each had a team-best 12 solo blocks, ranking them tied for eighth on the UT Arlington freshman all-time list... Driscoll's 96 block assists are tied for the second most in UT Arlington freshmen history, tying her with Caley Smith, who also had 96 in 2001. Only Kim Draper's 176 (1983) rank ahead of Driscoll and Smith... Shearin notched 92 block assists, which ranks her fourth all-time in UT Arlington freshman history... Driscoll's 108 total blocks are the most by any UT Arlington freshman since 1994, and rank No. 3 all time... Shearin ranks just behind Driscoll at No. 4 on the UT Arlington freshman all-time record book with 104 total blocks.
