LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – After the first two weekends of the 2020 schedule were postponed and rescheduled due to positive COVID-19 tests, the UT Arlington volleyball team swept the season-opening doubleheader at Little Rock on Friday, Oct. 9. The Mavs dropped the opening set of the day and responded by winning the next six games en route to defeating the Trojans 3-1 (20-25, 25-19, 25-20, 28-26) in match one and 3-0 (25-19-, 26-24, 25-15) in the nightcap.
UTA and Little Rock with battle in match three of the 3-match series on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 10) at 1:00 p.m.
FINAL (MATCH 1) | UTA 3, Little Rock 1 | 20-25, 25-19, 25-20, 28-26
Brooke Townsend recorded 13 digs and a match-high 17 kills to register her first double-double of the season. Townsend also hit .317 and tallied a pair of blocks. Freshman
Kortney Puckett hit .316 and finished with nine kills and six blocks, while classmate
Briana Brown finished with 10 kills (.304 hitting percentage) and four blocks.
Devon Martinka added seven kills and six blocks and
Kylee Kapp picked up 22 assists, six digs and a career-high seven service aces.
Alli Wells tallied a career-high 33 digs, while
Michaela Wright recorded four kills and a career high nine blocks.
Laura Jansen, who leads the Trojans in kills and also leads the SBC with 4.77 kills per set, was held to just nine kills and a .136 hitting percentage in the match. Nedima Kamberovi and Nicole Medlin led Little Rock with 10 kills each.
The Mavs outhit the Trojans .221-.142 and forced UALR into 28 hitting errors.
UTA STAT LEADERS
Kills: 17,
Brooke Townsend
Assists: 22,
Kylee Kapp
Blocks: *9,
Michaela Wright
Digs: *33,
Alli Wells
Service Aces: *7,
Kylee Kapp
* - career high
FINAL (MATCH 2) | UTA 3, Little Rock 0 | 25-19, 26-24, 25-15
Brooke Townsend hit .538 and recorded a match-high 16 kills. Freshman
Brianna Ford registered her first collegiate double-double with 12 kills and 15 digs. Ford also added a pair of blocks and three service aces.
Devon Martinka chipped in with seven kills and a pair of blocks, while freshman
Mollie Blank finished with 15 assists, five digs and two service aces.
Alli Wells recorded 19 digs and
Alyssa Duran totaled six digs and a match-high four service aces.
Kylee Kapp finished with a match-high 25 assists, five digs and a service aces.
Michaela Wright added seven blocks to finish with 16 on the day.
Little Rock was led by Laura Jensen's 13 kills and 14 digs. UALR's two setters, Alyssa Nayar and Nathalia Vigineski, both finished with 13 assists.
The Mavs outhit the Trojans .248-.131 in the match, including hitting .393 in the third set.
UTA STAT LEADERS
Kills: 16,
Brooke Townsend
Assists: 25,
Kylee Kapp
Blocks: 7,
Michaela Wright
Digs: 19,
Alli Wells
Service Aces: *4,
Alyssa Duran
* - career high
