SAN ANTONIO — Despite trailing in all three sets, the St. Mary's University Volleyball team dug deep to sweep the visiting UT Tyler Patriots on Tuesday night to give the Rattlers their third-straight win, 26-24, 28-26, 25-22.
It is only the second three-set match in the six-match series between the two teams, and the first-ever sweep for the Rattlers (10-11, 7-4). Each of the last three meetings had gone five sets, and it snapped a two-match skid against the Patriots (11-10, 7-4). The two teams are now tied for fifth in the Lone Star Conference standings with three weeks left in the regular season.
Sophomore
Taylor Alston (San Antonio) tied her career-high, leading all players with 16 kills and a .324 hitting percentage (16-5-34), while senior
Landri Withers (Stephenville, Texas) added a double-double, notching 10 kills and 11 digs.
Senior middle blocker
Dallasstar Johnson (San Antonio) added seven kills and a match-high five blocks. Seniors
Alyssa Koehl (New Braunfels, Texas) and
Isabella Waggoner (Texas City, Texas) each had two aces to tie for match-high honors.
The first set was tied seven times, including at every point from 21 to 24, before Alston recorded a kill and then paired with Johnson for a block on set point. It was the only block of the set for the Gold & Blue.
The second set went back and forth with nine ties and four lead changes. The Rattlers trailed 23-19, but as they've done most of the season, they turned up the intensity with their backs against the wall. Withers notched a kill for the 23-20 score, and the Patriots called a timeout. After missing the next serve and giving UTT a set point, Alston smashed a kill,
Laurene Robinson (Bedford, Texas) posted a solo block, and junior setter
Haleigh Wilk (Salado, Texas) again found Alston to knot the score at 24-24. Tied at 26-26, Alston once again ended the point and sophomore
Kaylee Cavazos (San Antonio) served an ace down the line for the 28-26 win and a 2-0 lead.
There were another seven ties and two lead changes in the final set, and the Rattlers once again found themselves trailing late as a kill by UTT's Autumn Perry put them up 21-19. Alston came through in the clutch with her career-high tying 16th kill, and Johnson and freshman
Liz Salinas (Helotes, Texas) paired for a block to tie things at 21-21. Johnson collected the final two kills, sandwiched around each team recording service errors for the 25-22 final.
The Rattlers now hit the road for four straight matches, beginning at Cameron on Friday at 6 p.m. The Aggies were swept by Oklahoma Christian on Tuesday night.
