ARLINGTON, Texas – The UTA volleyball team overcame a tough loss in the first set to pick up a 3-2 (23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 21-25, 15-13) come from behind win over UTSA in the first round of the 2019 National Invitational Volleyball Championship at the College Park Center on Thursday night.

With the win, the Mavs improve to 19-13 on the season and advance to the second round of the NIVC to face Sam Houston State on Friday, Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m. The win also moves UTA to .500 (8-8) at home this season.

Kylie Jedlicka recorded a double-double with 15 kills and 16 digs. The senior also hit .265 and recorded three blocks. Madison Hill finished with 12 kills, eight digs and six total blocks, while Bre Walp registered 11 kills (.364 hitting percentage) and five blocks. Brooke Townsend added 11 kills, while 2019 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year Madelyn St. Germain tallied a match-high 23 digs and five assists. Kylee Kapp and Jessica Stancliff ran the UTA offense and finished with 29 and 22 assists, respectively.

After dropping a tough first set 25-23, the Mavericks responded and took the second (25-19) and third (25-16) sets, to grab control of the match (2-1) and put pressure on UTSA. UTA hit .364 and .406 in the second and third sets, respectively.

UTSA sent the match into a fifth set after a 25-21 win in the fourth.

The Roadrunners held an 8-6 lead as the teams changed sides. After the media-timeout, UTSA got a kill from Jenna Patton to go ahead 9-6. The Mavs responded with a 5-2 run, capped by a Jedlicka kill, to even the set at 11-11 and force a UTSA timeout.

A kill and attack error by each squad moved the score up to 13-13. Walp stepped up a recorded a kill to give UTA match point, and Walp followed that play with a solo block for the match winner.

UP NEXT
The Mavericks will take on Sam Houston State in the round of 16 the NIVC tomorrow night (Dec. 6) at 6:30 pm.

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