SAN ANTONIO – The University of the Incarnate Word volleyball team fell, 3-2, in a hard-fought match against UTSA on Sunday afternoon in Roadrunner territory in the Convocation Center.
Bethany Clapp led the Cardinal offense with 22 kills, five aces, and 14 digs. Freshman Jacqueline Arrington also contributed to the offense with 14 kills (.375). Britney Ong was solid from the back line with 23 digs.
"I'm really proud of how the team fought today," said head coach Samantha Dabbs Thomas. "We came in with a new lineup again and played some really clean aggressive volleyball."
"We took care of things in set two and three, set four kind of got away from us, but I am really proud of the fight we had in set five to go down only by two points. Our back row of Mariela (Nieto), Macy (Sumrall), Britney (Ong) and Audrey (Patton) played solid defense. Jackie Arrington also had a showing out today."
It was a 4-0 run in the middle of the first set by the Roadrunners that put the Cardinals on their heels, but they answered accordingly. Despite the Cardinals rallying late in the first set to tie the score for the fifth time, 18-18, they ultimately dropped the first set 25-20.
The Roadrunners' momentum from the first set carried over as they opened the second set on a 5-1 run. Once again, the Cardinals made a push late in the set going on a 3-0 run to tie the score, 17-17. A dump by Pilar, followed by a kill from Clapp, then a UTSA error and UIW found the spark it needed. Cardinals were down by two but powered ahead going on a 7-1 run to claim the set.
UIW took a page out of UTSA's book by putting the Roadrunners on their heels to open the third set on a powerful 11-2 run. There was no looking back, the Cardinals kept the Roadrunners at a distance only allowing them within nine the entire set.
The Cardinals were on the board first in the fourth set, but the 'Runners turned it into a back-and-forth battle eventually getting ahead 9-6. UIW worked its way up eventually tying the score 12-12. Despite tying the score two more times and working its way back from a five-point deficit, UIW dropped the fourth set 25-21.
UTSA got ahead early in in the fifth set and eventually won the match, but not without UIW putting up a fight late in the final set.
UP NEXT
UIW opens Southland Conference play at home when it hosts Abilene Christian at the McDermott Center on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. CT.
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