SAN ANTONIO – For both teams, freshmen made an immediate impact in a five-set season-opening thriller between St. Mary's and Texas A&M International. The Rattlers Volleyball squad pulled out the win, 25-22, 26-28, 23-25, 25-20, 15-13.
Three of the four Rattlers (1-0, 1-0 Lone Star Conference) who tallied double digit kills are freshmen as
Mia Martinez (Orlando, Fla.) and
Lindsey Ogle (Houston) each had 13 and
Julia Aleman (San Antonio) totaled 11. Junior
Alissa Tolbert (San Antonio) led all players with 20 kills and tallied her 19
th career double-double with 14 digs.
Five different Rattlers also managed double figures in digs, led by senior
Catherine Cruz (San Antonio). Freshman setter
Aislan Lennon (Houston) and senior setter
Lindsey Kaufman (Coral Springs, Fla.) each tallied double-doubles, as Lennon had 25 assists and 15 digs, while Kaufman totaled 28 assists and 11 digs. Freshman
Nadia Manitzas (San Antonio) had 13 digs. Junior
Julia Deais (San Antonio) led the match with seven blocks, while Manitzas and Cruz each tallied two aces.
Six of the 10 players who played in all five sets for the Rattlers are freshmen, while four of the 10 who played for the Dust Devils (0-1, 0-1 Lone Star) are new to that program. TAMIU was led by Mackenzie Catalina with 19 kills, while Regina Tijerina had a match-high 20 digs, Danielle Armendariz had four aces and Carly Unruh totaled two blocks.
St. Mary's hit .253 for the match, including .367 in the fourth and .429 in the fifth set, while holding TAMIU to .157 on the night. The Blue & Gold also limited the Dust Devils to below .100 in the three sets they won.
All five sets were decided by five or fewer, including three of the five which were won by the minimum two points. On the evening there were 28 ties and 15 lead changes, with only the fourth set being one-sided as the Rattlers led wire to wire.
After 14 months between matches, the two teams will square off 24 hours after kicking off their seasons, with first serve set for 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER & TEAM NOTES
- Junior Alissa Tolbert recorded the 19th double-double of her career, leading the match with 20 kills and recording 14 digs. The 20 kills ties her career-high – which she recorded on Oct. 20, 2018 against Newman in four sets.
- Junior Julia Deais tied her career-high with seven blocks. She also had seven against DBU on Oct. 19, 2019.
- St. Mary's totaled 19 more digs than TAMIU, 86-67 and had 12 more kills on the night, 68-56.
- Senior Lindsey Kaufman's double-double of 28 assists and 11 digs is the third of her career.
- The Rattlers had four players reach double figures in kills. The last time the team accomplished that feat was on Oct. 26, 2019 at Cameron.
- St. Mary's also had five players tally double digits in digs for the first time since Sept. 20, 2019 at Dallas Baptist.
