ARLINGTON, Texas --- The UT Arlington volleyball team (13-7, 5-3 WAC) will look to carry the momentum from Thursday's five-set victory over Abilene Christian into a matchup against Sam Houston (6-17, 3-6) on Saturday at noon inside the College Park Center (CPC).
The afternoon features several promotions, highlighted by Beat Cancer Day, where money will be raised in support of the Moncrief Cancer Institute. The first 100 students will get a pink Beat Cancer rally towel and cancer survivors can get a free ticket with promo code BEATCANCER at
utatickets.com/promo. It's also Youth Volleyball Day, where youth volleyball players can get $4 tickets with promo code YOUTH at
utatickets.com/promo.
The Mavs will enter the match having won two straight, including a five-set victory over Abilene Christian on Thursday in which
Alli Wells became the 10th Mav all-time to reach 1,500 career digs. UTA produced an 18-16 victory in the fifth set behind a match-winning kill from
Kortney Puckett, while
Brianna Ford notched her 25th career double-double.
BATTLE FOR WAC POSITIONING
Thursday's victory was important in that it helped the Mavericks move into sole possession of fourth place in the WAC standings at 5-3 behind UTRGV (7-0), Utah Valley (6-1) and Stephen F. Austin (7-2). Several teams are chasing close behind UTA, including New Mexico State (4-3), Grand Canyon (4-4), Southern Utah (4-4), Tarleton (3-5), California Baptist (3-5) and Sam Houston (3-6). The top eight teams make the WAS postseason tournament.
DEFENSIVE STOPPER
Third-year middle blocker
Kortney Puckett has been an important factor in UTA's two-match winning streak. In last Saturday's win over Seattle, she either tied or set new career-highs in kills (11), digs (7) and aces) while also notching a season-high-tying six blocks. She followed that up with nine kills, four digs and five blocks on Thursday against Abilene Christian, where she recorded the match-winning kill in the fifth set. Her increased performance led to a WAC Defensive Player of the Week selection this past Monday, which allowed her to become the fourth Mav to win a weekly conference award this year. The others include
Brianna Ford on Sept. 12 (offensive player of the week),
Jalie Tritt on Sept. 19 (freshman of the week) and
Sophie Skinner on Sept. 12 (freshman of the week).
CENTURY WOMEN
With their performances against Utah Valley and Seattle last week, the duo of
Kortney Puckett and
Briana Brown each surpassed 100 career blocks, joining
Brianna Ford,
Meredith Fisher,
Brooke Townsend and
Devon Martinka among the group of Mavericks to reach the milestone. Ford and Fisher reached it earlier this year while Townsend (2020) and Martinka (2021) reached it in previous seasons.
Behind the play of those six and others, UT Arlington ranks among the nation's leaders in total blocks (18th, 200), blocks per set (45th, 2.47), total digs (54th, 1,221), opponent hitting percentage (59th, .179) and win-loss percentage (77th, .650). Among conference teams, they lead all teams in total blocks while ranking second in blocks per set behind Utah Valley (2.52) and total aces (122) behind Stephen F. Austin (135).
STREAKING INTO THE RECORD BOOK
UT Arlington had a nine-match winning streak snapped against California Baptist on Oct. 6. It represented the program's longest streak over the past 20 years behind the 2002 squad's 17-match surge. Overall, the streak tied the 1985 and 1987 teams for the 15th-longest all-time, which dates back to 1973.
ROAD COURT ADVANTAGE
In WAC play, the Mavericks are an impressive 4-1 away from home while sporting an 0-2 record at home.
AN OFFENSIVE FORCE
Brianna Ford, an Amarillo, Texas native, has led UT Arlington to a 13-7 start this year behind career-bests across the board – kills per set (3.26), hitting percentage (.241), digs per set (2.78), assists per set (0.26), blocks per set (0.83) and points per set (3.99). The third-year outside hitter has notched 12 of her team-best 25 career double-doubles this season, and those performances have propelled her into the top 10 in the WAC in total points (2nd, 323), points per set (2nd, 3.99), total kills (2nd, 264), total attacks (4th, 690) and kills per set (5th, 3.26). She ranks 54th nationally in total points. Overall, she has 15 matches with 10+ kills and 14 with 10+ digs. Award-wise, Ford became the program's first-ever WAC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 12, was named the MVP in both the UTA Invitational and UTSA Invitational, and she earned a spot on the UTA Classic all-tourney team.
DOWN TO THE WIRE
UT Arlington is 5-1 in five-set matches this year, including wins in five straight after dropping a five-set match to North Dakota on Aug. 27. Among those victories, the Mavs dropped the opening set against Providence, trailed UTSA 2-0, came back against Lamar after being down 2-1 and held off ACU after losing a two-set lead.
KILLIN' IT
Fifth-year senior
Brooke Townsend joined the 1,000 kill club last year and recently became just the 12th player in program history to reach 1,200. With 1,233, she needs just 19 more to surpass Fannie Burton (1,245, 1991-94) and Teresa Ogden (1,251, 1982-83) and move into the top 10. The fifth-year outside hitter has eight matches with at least 10 kills this year, including a season-high 16 twice - against Providence on Sept. 3 and at Abilene Christian on Sept. 29. Last Thursday, she produced 15 against Utah Valley, and she added 11 on Thursday against ACU. Her 1,233 career total ranks 53rd among all active NCAA Division I players, and she is 61st in career sets played with 458.
| UTA CAREER KILLS |
| 1. |
Heather Hoy |
1,787 |
1994-97 |
| 2. |
Ana de Oliveira |
1,729 |
1985-88 |
| 3. |
Amber Pack |
1,578 |
1999-2002 |
| 4. |
Qiana Canete |
1,505 |
2014-17 |
| 5. |
Valeria Whitfield |
1,490 |
1990-92 |
| 6. |
Caley Smith |
1,416 |
2001-04 |
| 7. |
Judith McGill |
1,407 |
1983-86 |
| 8. |
Trisha Walker |
1,344 |
1997-2000 |
| 9. |
Chris Rudiger |
1,330 |
1986-89 |
| 10. |
Teresa Ogden |
1,251 |
1982-83 |
| 11. |
Fannie Burton |
1,245 |
1991-94 |
| 12. |
Brooke Townsend |
1,233 |
2018-Pres. |
| 13. |
Amanda Aguilera |
1,164 |
2008-11 |
| 14. |
Shari Parks |
1,148 |
1984-87 |
| 15. |
Zhanelle Geathers |
1,132 |
2014-18 |
1,500 x 10
Alli Wells, who has registered four matches with 20-plus digs through eight WAC contests, has now become just the 10th player with 1,500 in a career after her season-high 33 digs on Thursday. The fourth-year libero tallied 21 against Grand Canyon on Oct. 8, which moved her past Trisha Walker (1,455, 1997-00) and Dani Johnson (1,446, 2004-07) into the top 10. Overall, she has 35 matches with 20-plus digs in her career, including eight this season.
Despite having her 26-match streak of consecutive double-digit digs snapped against New Orleans on Sept. 16, the Waxahachie native ranks 38th in total career digs (1,525) among all active NCAA Division I players. This year alone, Wells ranks 43rd nationally in total digs (351) and 82nd in digs per set (4.33). That play earned her a spot on the all-tournament team in the UTSA Invitational Sept. 10.
| UTA CAREER DIGS |
| 1. |
Alicia Shaffer |
2,033 |
2008-11 |
| 2. |
Ashley Smith |
1,921 |
2003-06 |
| 3. |
Amber Pack |
1,887 |
1999-02 |
| 4. |
Caitlyn Cooney |
1,820 |
2012-15 |
| 5. |
Jessica Bowlin |
1,728 |
1995-98 |
| 6. |
Qiana Canete |
1,626 |
2014-17 |
| 7. |
Judith McGill |
1,623 |
1983-86 |
| 8. |
Torie Dacus |
1,564 |
2004-07 |
| 9. |
Ana de Oliveira |
1,550 |
1985-88 |
| 10. |
Alli Wells |
1,525 |
2019-present |
BLANK REACHES MILESTONE
Third-year setter
Mollie Blank, who has recorded 61 assists over the past three matches, notched her 1,000th career assist against North Dakota on Aug. 27 and has increased her current total to 1,146. Last Saturday, she tallied 20 assists along with a season-best 14 digs for her second double-double of the season, which pushed her career total to 18.
SOLID PRESENCE
Alyssa Duran, a third-year defensive specialist, recorded back-to-back matches with double-digit digs to finish up the UTA Invitational Sept. 17, including a season-best 15 in the come-from-behind win over Lamar University in five sets, and she has produced three matches with double-digits this year overall. She has totaled at least seven digs in six of the past seven matches entering the Sam Houston match.
AWARD-WINNING SUCCESS AT HOME
The Mavs tallied a 5-2 record at home in non-conference play behind strong individual performances in the UTA Classic (Sept. 3-4) and UTA Invitational (Sept. 16-17).
Brianna Ford, who produced three double-doubles over the six matches combined, was named the UTA Invitational MVP and made the all-tournament team in the UTA Classic.
Jalie Tritt made the all-tournament team in both events.
Brooke Townsend also made the UTA Invitational All-Tournament team.
SKINNER JOINS ELITE GROUP
Including her performance against California Baptist on Oct. 6,
Sophie Skinner has notched 40-plus assists five times over the past 14 matches. In fact, since being inserted into the starting lineup on Sept. 3 against Providence, she has recorded at least 26 in all but four matches and at least 30 in 11 of 16, including eight of the past 11.
On Oct. 8 against Grand Canyon, she produced 36 assists to become just the ninth freshman in program history with at least 500 in a season, joining teammates
Mollie Blank (502, 2020) and
Jessica Stancliff (2019, 787) in the prestigious group. The Hot Springs, Ark. native previously earned UTSA All-Tournament and WAC Freshman of the Week recognition. Overall, she has registered 571 assists, 119 digs, 28 kills and 15 aces this year. In fact, her assist total currently places her seventh for most in program history by a freshman - just behind Stancliff.
Prior to UTA, Skinner competed in the Under Armour All-America Game this past December, which recognizes the most skilled high school players in the country. She was named MVP among the 24 players selected to participate.
BACK-TO-BACK
UT Arlington produced back-to-back conference freshman of the week awards for just the second time in program history behind the play of
Jalie Tritt (Sept. 19) and
Sophie Skinner (Sept. 12). Tritt helped the Mavs capture the UTA Invitational championship that week by averaging 2.5 kills, 1.9 digs and 0.7 blocks per set, while Skinner averaged 9.1 assists and 2.2 digs per set in the UTSA Invitational.
EXPERIENCE RETURNS
The Mavericks have three players who scored over 270 points last season (
Briana Brown,
Brooke Townsend,
Brianna Ford), returning 76 percent of their total points from a season ago overall. Furthermore, two all-conference selections from a season ago in
Briana Brown (First Team All-SBC) and
Alli Wells (Second Team All-SBC) are back, as well as former All-SBC selections in
Brooke Townsend (2019, 2020) and
Brianna Ford (2020).
NEW FACES
The Mavericks brought in four new faces to the program this season –
Sophie Ocampo (Humble, Texas; Kingwood HS),
Jalie Tritt (Little Rock, Ark.; Episcopal Collegiate School),
Ava Burroughs (Quitman, Texas; Quitman HS), and
Sophie Skinner (Hot Springs, Ark.; Fountain Lake HS). Three of the four have seen significant action this year while Ocampo will redshirt.
FORD SPENDS 20TH IN EUROPE
Brianna Ford spent her 20th birthday in Europe as she participated in the 2022 Global Challenge in Croatia, helping lead her team to a 1st place finish and being named to the all-tournament team.
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