Volleyball Wins First-Ever Road Lone Star Match

DENTON, Texas – The first three-set sweep of the year for the St. Mary's Volleyball team couldn't have come at a better time as they defeated Texas Woman's on Saturday, 25-21, 25-22, 25-15.
 
Head Coach Laura Ulrich made it a very sweet return to Kitty Magee Arena – the site where she was an assistant coach the previous four seasons – leading the Rattlers (7-2, 1-1 Lone Star Conference) to their first-ever road win in Lone Star Conference play. The win snaps a 16-match road losing streak.
 
"I am so proud of how the team bound together on a tough road trip," said Ulrich. We learned from our loss at DBU and responded with maturity and a toughness that we need to hold on to. Earning our first conference road win in the Lone Star is memorable, but we still have work to do."
 
St. Mary's hit .269 – the second-highest hitting percentage of the season – and had an extremely balanced offensive attack with five players recording five or more kills. Even the defensive players got involved in the offense as junior libero Gabi Sandoval (San Antonio) and sophomore defensive specialist Nadia Manitzas (San Antonio) each bumped free balls over that landed for kills.
 
Senior outside hitter Alissa Tolbert (San Antonio) tied for match-high honors with 11 kills and hit .417. She added 11 digs for her eighth double-double of the season. Sandoval led the team with 14 digs. Freshman setter Cali Nims (Corpus Christi, Texas) had a match-high 15 assists.
 
Defensively, senior middle blocker Julia Deais (San Antonio), freshman right side hitter Alicia Virthe (Orlando, Fla.) and sophomore outside hitter Lindsey Ogle (Houston) each had four blocks as the Rattlers out-blocked the Pioneers (5-6, 1-1 Lone Star) 9-5.
 
The first two sets were back-and-forth as there were five ties and three lead changes in set one before StMU scored two of the last three for the 25-21 win. In the second stanza, there were 17 ties and seven lead changes before Tolbert and Deais came up with big kills for the 25-22 victory.
 
The Rattlers spotted the Pioneers a 6-0 lead in the third set, before they took over and won by 10, 25-15. Deais really turned up the heat, collecting three kills on six swings and three blocks in the final set. The defense held TWU to a .053 hitting percentage in the third set.
 
"We are ready to be home next weekend," said Ulrich. "And show Rattler Nation some exciting volleyball!"
 
St. Mary's finally will play at Bill Greehey on Friday and Saturday after playing its first 11 matches on the road. The Rattlers host UT-Tyler at 6 p.m. on Friday and Texas A&M Commerce at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The Patriots are 6-0 on the year, while the Lions are 1-5.
 
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER & TEAM NOTES

• The kill for Nadia Manitzas in the first set is the first of her career. MAnitzas bumped a ball over for a free ball and it landed in the middle of several Pioneers for a point.
• Senior Alissa Tolbert managed to record a double-double despite the match being only three sets. It is her eighth of the year and the 33rd of her career. She collected 11 kills and 11 digs.
• The 25-15 win in set three is the fourth time this season the Rattlers have won a set by at least 10 points.
• St. Mary's held TWU to a .102 hitting percentage, including a -.053 in the third and final set.
• Julia Deais recorded seven kills in the match to give her 350 for her career – and she now stands at 354.