SAN ANTONIO — It wasn't always pretty, but it was often gritty as the St. Mary's University Volleyball team won in four sets over UT Permian Basin on Saturday to improve to 8-4 on the season and 1-1 in Lone Star Conference play.
 
The Rattlers won the first two sets 25-23 and 25-11, before dropping the third set 25-19. StMU rebounded for a lopsided 25-13 victory in set four. With the loss the Falcons fall to 5-3 overall and 0-2 in league action.
 
Five of the six servers recorded at least one ace on the afternoon as the Rattlers had more aces than errors for the fourth time this season and the third time in the last four matches with 10 aces and only six errors in 93 attempts. Sophomore Tara Creekmore (Canton, Mich.) led the team with three, and she was also second on the team with 13 kills.
 
Senior setter Haleigh Wilk posted another double-double, her fifth of the year, with a match-high 38 assists and a career-best 17 digs. Both Laurene Roibnson (Bedford, Texas) and Kaylee Cavazos (San Antonio) narrowly missed double-doubles of their own, as Robinson led the match with 15 kills and added nine digs, while Cavazos collected 25 digs – one off her career-high – and chipped in eight assists.
 
Freshman Madyson Carr (Houston) led the match with four blocks and added seven kills, one off her career-high and good for the third highest on the team. The Rattlers won the blocking battle, recording six while UTPB had only two.
 
The Rattlers hit the road next week, playing at Lubbock Christian on Friday at 6 p.m. and at Midwestern State on Saturday at 3 p.m.