The Roadrunner volleyball team is poised to make a run in the Conference USA (C-USA) tournament in two weeks. Until then, they are fighting for the top seed in the conference.

UTSA (19-7, 11-1 C-USA) helped further their cause with a three-set sweep of the UAB Blazers (18-12, 5-6 C-USA) on Friday, Nov. 8, at the Convocation Center.

UTSA finished the game with a total of 47 kills, 23 of which were delivered by senior outside hitter McKenzie Adams. Adams also had 12 digs and scored a total of 24 points throughout the match.

“I feel it went really well today,” sophomore defensive specialist Annie Kunes said. “Obviously, we took them in three. I just felt we played as a team and everyone did their individual jobs.”

The first set started off quickly, with UTSA easily scoring within the first few minutes and ending the set 25-15.

During the second set, UAB came back strong, gaining the lead for the first few minutes until UTSA rallied and won the set 25-20.

The final set concluded with UTSA overcoming a possible UAB comeback and winning 25-20.

“I thought it was good,” Head Coach Laura Groff said. “We have so many challenges ahead of us right now. Everyone is trying to get ready for Tulsa; my biggest fear was that we would overlook tonight’s match and Friday night’s match against East Carolina and we can’t afford to do that. It was one of those things; it was kind of scary coming out here. So I was really pleased with the way we played, how we’re handling the pressure and just the different people that are stepping up.”

Freshman setter Jessica Waldrip made waves with a whopping 38 assists out of UTSA’s accumulative 45. Kunes led the team with 20 digs along with freshman defensive specialist Daniella Villarreal, who added 13 digs to UTSA’s overall 58 digs.

“In the beginning, I came out, I was prepared,” Kunes said. “I knew what they were going to do. We studied them a lot, so I thought I went out and played well. I got a little down in the middle but I got right back up at the end.”

UTSA ended the match with a total of 11 blocks, hitting 69 percent.

“I’d like to point out Daniella Villarreal,” Groff said. “She picked up some key tips…she didn’t lead us in digs, but she only plays three rotations and she had 13. That’s a lot, and she served really well. I thought she did some little things that probably won’t stand out for anybody else but, for the team, were key.”

UTSA will play their next two games at home against East Carolina and Tulsa to finish up their regular season before heading into the conference tournament.

“I think we’re ready,” Kunes stated. “I think that a lot of teams are out to get us, but that only makes us work harder and makes us know that we have to go out and play our game every time.”

UTSA is set to take on both Eastern Carolina Friday, Nov. 15, and Tulsa on Sunday, Nov. 17, at the Convocation Center.

“We play in the conference tournament and then we have the opportunity to go to the NCAA, so that’s our goal,” Groff said. “So we’re not ending yet. We still have a lot ahead of us.”