Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 HOUSTON, Texas - The UT Arlington volleyball team split the season opener at the Flo Hyman Collegiate Cup at the University of Houston on Friday to begin the season at 1-1.  The Mavs completed a comeback in five sets against Texas A&M Corpus Christi in game one (7-25, 25-15, 21-25, 25-16, 16-14) before being swept by Louisiana State in the nightcap (19-25, 21-25, 23-25).

GAME ONE RECAP: UTA VS CORPUS CHRISTI

After a tough first set, the Mavericks rebounded to hit .252 in the match.  Brooke Townsend (16 kills) and Meredith Fisher (10 kills) led the Mavs with double-digit kills. Townsend also completed her first double-double of the year, recording 11 digs. Madelyn St. Germain finished with a team-high 23 digs, while Kyle Jedlicka finished with 10.  Kylee Kapp (23 assists) and Chase Davis (16 assists) led UTA in assists. UTA finished with 12 team blocks, led by Madison Hill's seven blocks.

The Mavericks had to knock the rust off in the first set, falling 25-7 to the Islanders.  UTA hit -.074 with just three kills.

UTA bounced back in the second set, improving their hitting percentage to .229, while holding Corpus Christi to just .026. The Mavs jumped out to an 11-9 lead, but quickly increased their lead to nine with four straight points to push the score to 21-12. UTA finished the set with a block from Madison Hill and Kylie Jedlicka to win set two 25-15 and even the game at one set a piece.

The teams battled in set three.  The Islanders began the set with a 7-4 lead, but the Mavs fought back using a 9-5 run to take a 13-12 lead, capping the run with a kill by Meredith. Corpus Christi regained their momentum with an 8-2 run before the Mavericks were able to catch their breath. Trailing 23-18, the Mavericks rattled off three straight points, but it was too late as the Islanders too the final two points to win the set and take a 2-1 advantage over the Mavericks.

Needing to win the fourth set to force a deciding fifth set, the Mavericks went to work.  With the set tied at nine, UTA used a 5-1 run to take a 14-10 lead, capped with a kill by Devon Martinka. The Mavs continued to flex their muscle deep into the third set, increasing their lead to eight as part of a 4-0 run which included two services aces by Madison Green and a kill by Hill. UTA went on to win the set 25-16 coming from a kill by Brooke Townsend.

In the final set, the Islanders jumped to a 5-2 lead before the Mavs went on a 5-1 run to take a 7-6 lead. UTA continued to push their lead, taking a 10-7 lead with back-to-back kills by Fisher and Hill. After the Mavs took a 12-9 lead, the Islanders went on a 4-0 run to take a late 13-12 lead. After a timeout, the Mavs finished on a 4-1 run to take the final set 16-14 and win the game 3-2.

GAME TWO RECAP: UTA VS LSU

The Mavs only hit .019 in the match, finishing with 32 kills on 106 attempts with 30 attacking errors. Brooke Townsend led the Mavs with eight kills.  Petra Manderson (16 assists) and Chase Davis (11 assists) paced the match for UTA. Defensively, Madelyn St. Germain led the Mavs with nine digs.

LSU jumped out to an early 7-3 lead to begin set one before going on a run to take a seven point lead, 20-13 near the end. The Mavs used a 6-3 run to cut the lead to four, but it was too late as the Tigers took set one 25-19.

The Mavs took a 7-6 lead to begin the second set, but a 5-1 run gave the Tigers a three-point lead midway through the set. Madison Hill recorded a kill to end a 3-1 run to cut the LSU lead to one point before an LSU attacking error tied the set at 13. With the set tied at 19, the Tigers scored the next three points to get a cushion over the Mavericks before UTA called a timeout. The timeout worked it's purpose as the Mavericks battled back to tie the set at 21. UTA was unable to regain the lead, however, as the Tigers took set two 25-21, winning the final four points of the set.

The third set was a tight one, as LSU held a 12-11 advantage midway through the set. After the Tigers took a three point lead, the Mavs went on a 3-0 run to tie the game and force an LSU timeout.  With the Mavs leading 22-20 late in the match, a Tiger attacking error, followed by kills by Madison Hill and Kylie Jedlicka gave the Mavs a 23-22 lead. Three straight points by the Tigers ended the set, giving LSU the win 25-23 and completing the sweep over the Mavs.

The Mavericks will play host Houston tomorrow (Saturday) at 12:30 p.m. to finish the Flo Hyman Collegiate Cup.