Final Stats

By Paul Watley | UTAMavs.com

STATESBORO, Ga. - Looking to head into the Sun Belt Conference Tournament next week with back to back wins under its belt, UT Arlington picked up a crucial four-set (25-19, 21-25, 25-14, 25-20) win over Georgia Southern on Friday night.

"We really started to block some balls tonight and that really seemed to take them out of their offensive system," UT Arlington coach Diane Seymour said. "We also did a great job at the service line with seven aces and that made it so they couldn't get Kym Coley involved enough."

The win puts the Mavericks at 24-8 this season with a 14-6 mark in conference play while the Eagles fall to 7-22 overall with a 6-13 record in the Sun Belt.

Hannah Baptiste led the charge offensively as she registered a team-high 11 kills to go along with seven digs.

"I just tried to go out there and swing and not worry about making errors," Baptiste said. "Picking up a win tonight was really important to get a streak going and we just wanted to play for our seniors in their last regular season match."

Also chipping in offensively was a trio of Maverick players in Ashley Bennett, Qiana Canete and Stacey Koch who each registered nine kills in the match. Koch and Bennett also made their presence known at the net as they recorded five and four blocks respectively. Canete made her mark defensively as the freshman OH recorded eight digs and two blocks in the match.

With the Mavericks outblocking the Eagles 14-5 in the match, Briana Sharratt led the way as the sophomore MB notched 10 blocks to go along with five kills in the match.

Amanda Welsh and Cassidy Wheeler divided up the setting duties as the duo combined to record 40 assists in the match.

Caitlyn Cooney led the team in digs as she registered 17 digs in the match.

"We just need to keep this same energy that we've had these past couple of matches," Baptiste added. "We just have to keep playing our game and doing what we need to on our side of the court."

With the match proving to be a good one early on, both teams traded blows in the opening frame. After holding onto a one-point lead at 16-15, the Mavericks gained control of the set with an 8-1 run that put them up 24-16. After the Eagles closed the gap with three straight points, UTA closed out the set with a Baptiste kill to give the Mavs a one set lead in the match.

Bennett and Canete led the team through the opening frame as the duo recorded three kills apiece. Sharratt got started early at the net as she blocked three balls in the first set. UTA also hit .281 while holding Georgia Southern to .214 in the first set.

UT Arlington stormed out of the gate in the second set, with an 8-1 run that saw Hannah Baptiste notch three kills. Georgia Southern then got back in the set, taking its first lead of the set at 15-14. The back and forth from early in the first set continued again late in the second set both teams sat in striking distance of claiming the second frame. However, with the Mavericks trailing 21-20, the Eagles rattled off a 4-1 run that gave them the second set 25-21 and tied the match at one set apiece.

Baptiste and Koch came alive in the second set as the two players recorded four kills apiece.

The Mavericks left no doubt in the third set, taking a 6-4 lead and turning it into a 15-5 run that was capped off with a Koch kill. The Eagles closed the gap, getting within nine points at 21-12, but UTA closed out the set with a 4-2 run that included a pair of kills from Baptiste to give the Mavs the set 25-14 and a two set lead in the match.

The defense of UTA was dominant in the third set as they out blocked Georgia Southern 7-2 while also out hitting the Eagles .241 to -.091. Bennett and Baptiste each recorded three kills in the set while Sharratt notched four blocks for the Mavericks.

With the Mavs trailing 9-5 in the fourth set, they rattled off an impressive eight straight points that included a pair of kills by Canete to put UT Arlington on top 13-9. Later in the set holding a 15-13 advantage, the Mavericks went on a 5-2 run that was capped off with a block by Taylor Gross and Sharratt to give them a 20-15 lead. Georgia Southern would get as close as two points at 21-19, but UT Arlington closed out the set 25-20 and the match 3-1.

Canete led the charge offensively in the final frame as the Copperas Cove native recorded four kills. Welsh and Cooney did their part defensively as each of the two players recorded five digs in the set.

"What we did last year is something I think will provide our team with confidence heading into the tournament," Seymour added. "It is the start of a brand new season come Wednesday and I think there will be a pep in our step with what they accomplished last year giving them confidence they can make a run again."

Next up on the UT Arlington schedule is the Sun Belt Conference Tournament to be held in San Marcos, Texas on Nov. 27-29. The Mavericks are still in the running for the second, third and fourth seeds in the tournament.