Nov. 3, 2009
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ARLINGTON, Texas - The UT Arlington volleyball team had its five-match home win streak snapped by Texas State in a 25-12, 41-39, 25-16 loss on Tuesday night at Texas Hall. It was a historic match for UT Arlington as the 80 combined points in the second set are the most points ever scored in a set during a UT Arlington match in its 37 year, 1,438 match history.
The Mavericks (9-15, 5-7 SLC) drop their first home conference match and only their fourth home match of the season while Texas State (15-12, 9-3 SLC) picks up its fourth straight win over UTA.
"It was a disappointing start and a disappointing end for us tonight," UT Arlington head coach Diane Seymour said. "But that second set is probably the most remarkable volleyball game that I have ever been involved in, whether it was as a player, assistant coach or head coach."
UT Arlington recorded its most kills (46), attempts (132), assists (42) and digs (59) in a three-set match this season while Tara Frantz led the team with 15 kills and Eld-hah Kaswatuka notched career-highs in kills (9) and digs (9).
"Even in a loss, I think we showed a lot of positive things," Frantz said. "I thought we really played well in that back and forth second set. We just need to find a way to play that way throughout an entire match."
The Bobcats ran off to a 1-0 lead in the match with a 25-12 victory in the opening set. The Mavericks cut Texas State's lead to a point (7-8) following a kill from Frantz, but then Texas State went on a 12-2 run to put the set out of reach.
UTA fought off nine set points in the marathon second set before Texas State's Mo Middleton put down a kill to give the Bobcats a 41-39 victory. The set saw 21 tie scores and only four lead changes.
Frantz had nine kills, Sauls had seven and Kaswatuka notched six in the set while Teena Sobczak and Alicia Shaffer each collected a set-high nine digs for the Mavs.
"That set was really amazing," Kaswatuka said about the second set. "When I was in the front row I just kept thinking `just get a kill to get this over with,' we all just really wanted to win."
In the second set alone, there were 55 kills and 148 attacks with only 15 errors. Both teams combined for 69 digs in the frame and had one ace with three service errors.
"The one thing I told them we have to take from this is that is how they have to come out and start a match," Seymour said. "We have to try to find a way to come out with that kind of energy to start a match and after intermission."
The Mavericks jumped ahead 5-0 early in the third set, but eventually the Bobcats caught them and would never trail again after taking a 13-12 lead. Texas State finished the set on an 8-2 run.
Sauls finished with 11 kills, six digs and two assists, Raegan Daniel had a match-high 37 assists and eight digs, Shaffer collected 12 digs and Sobczak led all players with 15 digs.
The Mavericks continue their homestand on Thursday, Nov. 5, taking on Sam Houston State for a 7 p.m. first serve at Texas Hall.
FOR THE RECORD...
The previous UTA record for most points scored in a set was 72 points (35-37, SHSU), coming when the Mavericks lost to Sam Houston State in four sets in Huntsville on Oct. 5, 2004. It is unknown if the Mavericks and Bobcats' 80 points scored on Tuesday night is a Southland Conference record as that record has never been kept. Just weeks ago on Friday, Oct. 23, in the Manhattan verses Rider match, Manhattan won the first set 45-43 (88 points) during a three-set sweep. According to NCAA records, 88 points is an all-time record for points scored in a single set.
UT Arlington History - Most Points Scored in a Set:
80, Nov. 3, 2009 - Texas State (41) at UT Arlington (39) - UTA lost in 3 sets
72, Oct. 5, 2004 - UT Arlington (35) at Sam Houston State (37) - UTA lost in 4 sets
70, Sept. 23, 2006 - Texas State (34) at UT Arlington (36) - UTA won in 4 sets
68, Sept. 9, 2005 - Iowa (35) at UT Arlington (33) - UTA lost in 4 sets
68, Oct. 15, 2004 - Texas State (35) at UT Arlington (33) - UTA lost in 5 sets
68, Oct. 25, 2003 - UT Arlington (35) at McNeese State (33) - UTA won in 4 sets
68, Nov. 1, 2003 - UT Arlington (35) at Nicholls (33) - UTA lost in 5 sets
66, Sept. 7, 2007 - UT Arlington (34) vs. Georgia State (32) - Murfreesboro, Tenn. - UTA won in 3 sets
66, Oct. 28, 2005 - UT Arlington (32) at Sam Houston State (34) - UTA lost in 4 sets
66, Sept. 24, 2004 - UT Arlington (34) at McNeese State (32) - UTA lost in 4 sets
66, Oct. 19, 2002 - UT Arlington (34) at Louisiana-Monroe (32) - UTA won in 3 sets
66, Nov. 16, 2002 - UT Arlington (34) at Lamar (32) - UTA lost in 5 sets
MATCH NOTES:
UT Arlington falls to 39-23 all-time against Texas State with a 15-11 record in matched played in Arlington... Texas State has won four straight matches against the Mavericks... The Mavs last victory over the Bobcats was at Texas Hall on Oct. 23, 2007.
