Box Score

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- After falling in the first two sets, UTA volleyball rallied to win the next two but couldn't get on track in the fifth as host Belmont posted a five-set win in the opener of the Bruiser Showcase (23-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-19, 6-15), on Friday morning at the Curb Event Center.

UTA (3-1) suffered its first loss of the year as Belmont (4-1) opened the match by winning the first two sets. UTA fought back to force five sets, winning the third and fourth but the Bruins used an early rally in the final stanza to build an advantage.

LEADING THE MAVS
The Mavs were led in their second straight five-set match by junior Zhanelle Geathers, who had 19 kills and six digs. Senior Qiana Canete, who joined Geathers on the preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team, had a double-double with 13 kills and 12 digs. Freshman Cameryn Zahradnik notched a career-high eight kills and hit .294 with eight digs, with freshman setter Kailyn Gilbreath adding a team-best 41 assists and five kills. Madison McConnell, who entered the match leading the league in hitting percentage, had five kills. Kylie Jedlicka finished with two kills, with sophomore Madelyn St. Germain leading the team with 16 digs.

NEXT
UTA's second doubleheader of the season will continue on Friday afternoon vs. Middle Tennessee State at 3 p.m. CT at the Curb Even Center. Fans can follow live stats available on UTAMavs.com.

SET ONE
The teams traded the first two points, with the Mavs taking a 3-2 lead on back-to-back powerful kills from Geathers. Tessa Harfield and Kylie Jedlicka teamed up on a block and Gilbreath found Canete for the first of back-to-back kills for a 7-4 lead. Madison McConnell got the Mavs a four-point lead with her first kill and forced a Belmont timeout. Geathers gave the Mavs a 13-9 lead with her third kill but Belmont went on a 5-2 run to cut the UTA lead to 15-14 and force the first timeout of the game from the Mavs. After the Bruins rallied to even p the match at 20-20, Belmont took its first lead at 21-20 and forced the second Maverick timeout. The Mavs fought to cut it to 24-23 and force a Belmont timeout but the Bruins earned a kill to finish off the set out of the break.

SET TWO
UTA got a service ace from Canete and a kill from Geathers as the set opened up 4-4. The Bruins then went on a 5-0 run to force a Wenger timeout with a 9-4 lead. Following the timeout, UTA scored three of the next five points, getting contributions from senior Ashlynn Ford and freshman Cameryn Zahradnik. A nifty dig from Madelyn St. Germain led to a Geathers kill to make it 15-13 Bruins. Belmont's 4-2 run took its lead to 19-15 after a UTA timeout. UTA got within 23-21 after a nice serve from Madison Helt and 24-22 after a Tessa Harfield kill but Belmont finished off the set for a 25-22 win and a 2-0 lead.

SET THREE
Kills from Canete and McConnell saw the third set open 4-4. After Belmont took a 6-3 lead, UTA went on a 3-0 run and a kill from Kailyn Gilbreath evened up the match at 6-6. The match continued to 9-9 after a Zahradnik kill. McConnell's ace gave the Mavs their first lead of the set, 13-12 and Geathers stretched the lead to 15-12 after a kill, forcing a Bruins timeout. UTA extended its run to 5-0 to take a 17-12 lead. After the timeout, Belmont went on an 11-7 run to take a 23-22 lead and force a Maverick timeout. UTA scored the next two behind McConnell, taking a 24-23 lead on a long rally with Belmont taking a timeout. McConnell finished off the set with the kill for a 25-23 win, forcing the fourth.

SET FOUR
Canete opened the set with a kill, with the teams trading points early as the set went to 10-10. Geathers evened it back up at with a kill at 11-11, taking a lead at 12-11. Zahradnik notched a pair of kills as the Mavs took a 16-15 lead. McConnell gave UTA a 17-15 lead and a service error from the Bruins stretched the Mavs to 18-16. Gilbreath's fifth kill gave the Mavs a 21-18 lead and forced a Belmont timeout. Canete gave the Mavs a 24-19 lead and on the third straight serve from Libbie Vickers, UTA finished off the 25-19 win to force the fifth.

SET FIVE
A UTA service error opened the fifth set and the Bruins score the first three, Canete notched her 12th kill to get within 3-1. Belmont then scored the next two to force a Wenger timeout. The Bruins went on a 5-2 run out of the timeout as the Mavs took a seven-point hole into the final UTA timeout of the set. St. Germain notched a service ace to get within 12-5.

FOLLOW THE MAVS SOCIALLY
For up-to-date news, photos, videos and updates you can follow UTA sports program online at UTAMavs.com or via any of several social media accounts on twitter @UTAMavs, Instagram @UTAMavs, Snapchat @UTAMavs and Facebook at UTArlingtonAthletics. Follow @UTAVolleyball on twitter and at UTAVolleyball on Facebook.