UTSA defeated the University of Central Arkansas Sugar Bears, the No. 1 seed, three sets to two (25-17, 25-22, 19-25, 21-25, 15-13) in the Southland Volleyball Tournament Championship. This marks the second time the Roadrunners have won the championship.
The Roadrunners started the match strong. After a kill by Kendra Rowland that tied the set at five, the Roadrunners went on a 5-0 run to gain a 10-5 lead. Attack errors by the Roadrunners allowed the Sugar Bears to get back within two points.
However, the Roadrunners took a commanding 23-14 lead and were able to shut down the Sugar Bears with a kill by Rowland.
In the second set the Sugar Bears took an early four-point, 7-3 lead. The Roadrunners were able to tie the score at 13, and then two kills by Brittney Malloy gave the Roadrunners their first lead of the set.
The score was close for most of the set, but the Roadrunners were able to pull away from the Sugar Bears. The Roadrunners finally closed down the set with a kill by Briana Mason.
The Roadrunners came out of the intermission ready to sweep the Sugar Bears. The Roadrunners took the early lead in the third set, but the Sugar Bears clawed their way back. After tying the score the Sugar Bears just ran off with the lead and comfortably defeated the Roadrunners by six points.
Building on their third set win, the Sugar Bears started the set by going up 8-4, but the Roadrunners stayed right close to the Sugar Bears. The Roadrunners tied the score at nine points and were able to tie it again five more times before Sugar Bears went on a 5-0 run to gain a 20-16 lead. The Roadrunners were able to hold off the Sugar Bears for three set points, but the Sugar Bears closed down the set by defeating the Roadrunners by four points.
The Sugar Bears again started by taking the lead, but the Roadrunners went on a 4-0 run to take the lead. The Sugar Bears took the lead 8-6, but the Roadrunners were able to pull away, and a final kill by Whitney Walls won the game and the Championship for the Roadrunners.
The win earned the Roadrunners a berth to the NCAA Tournament, and they will find out who their first round opponent will be on Nov. 28.
