Sikora Shines Reaching 500-Career Points Despite Loss to EKU

Saturday, October 3

Arlington, TX

1 PM CT

University of Texas Arlington

7-9,1-3UAC

Eastern Kentucky

14-2,4-0UAC

Team	1	2	3	Final F
Eastern Ky.	25	25	25	3
UT Arlington	18	22	18	0

10/3/2026 2:58:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Kensley Walters

ARLINGTON, Texas — UT Arlington lost to Eastern Kentucky 3-0 (18-25, 22-25, 18-25) on Saturday at College Park Center. UTA was held to a .115 hitting percentage while the Colonels hit .188 with 14 total blocks.

Emilee Sikora reached the 500-career point milestone in this afternoon's match, marking a significant accomplishment for the sophomore transfer.

HOW IT HAPPENED
UTA got on the board with a Megan Dougherty kill and added early kills from Emilee Sikora and Evyn Snook, but Eastern Kentucky built a 9-4 lead with Emma Closurdo contributing three kills and a block assist. After an Evyn Snook kill made it 11-6, EKU. scored the next four points, including a Caitlyn Flees ace and another Emma Closurdo kill, to move ahead 15-6. UT Arlington later cut the margin from 19-10 to 19-13 on an EKU. service error and back-to-back Evyn Snook kills. Eastern Kentucky pushed the set to 24-16 on an Addison Burke kill, and after UTA added two points, a service error ended the set at 25-18.

UTA answered an early 4-1 deficit by pulling even at 5-5, with Dixie Nessl and Sikora putting down kills before a Sikora-Hana Aiana block helped bring the set level. The teams traded points through 13-13, but Eastern Ky. moved ahead 19-15 behind kills from Emilee Hill and Alexis Bull-Hudson block. UT Arlington cut into the gap with consecutive Sikora kills to make it 20-18 and later got an Evyn Snook kill and an Eastern Kentucky attack error to close within 23-22. EKU finished the set with kills by Hill and Bull to take it 25-22.

EKU opened the third set with five straight points and later stretched the margin to 10-1 behind kills from Emma Closurdo and a service ace by Audrey Hudson. UTA worked back into the set, getting kills from Mazi Smith, Nessl, Hana Aiana and Sikora during a push that cut the deficit to 13-11. After the Mavericks pulled within 15-13 and 16-14, Eastern Kentucky answered with four straight points to move ahead 20-14. Camryn McMinn had three late kills for UTA, but EKU reached set point at 24-18 and closed the set 25-18 on a kill by Emilee Hill.

Game Notes

Emilee Sikora led the Mavericks with 13 kills and 14 points.
Sikora also recorded a team-high 40 attacks.
Erica Dellesky recorded a team-high 35 assists.
UTA finished with 36 kills and a .132 hitting percentage.

UP NEXT
UTA heads on the road to face Abilene Christian on Thursday, Oct. 8 at 6 p.m. in Moody Coliseum.

--#BuckEm--

FOLLOW THE MAVS
For the latest news on UTA Volleyball, log on to UTAMavs.com or stay connected to the Mavs on social media. Follow the Mavericks on X (formally known as Twitter) @UTAMavsVB, on Instagram @UTAMavsVB and on Facebook at Facebook.com/UTAMavsVB.