Okla. Panhandle box score
Eastern New Mexico box score
For the first time this season the University of Texas of the Permian Basin volleyball team is enjoying a three-match win streak after claiming victories in its first two contests of the 2010 UTPB Classic. The Falcons posted 3-1 wins over Oklahoma Panhandle State and Eastern New Mexico.
In its first win of the day, UTPB registered a 25-17, 26-24, 22-25, 25-19 victory over OPSU, marking the second time in as many days the Falcons have defeated the Aggies. After registering a season-high 13 total blocks the night before against the Aggies, the Falcons did one better with 14 including 24 assisted blocks. Melissa Lusk, Keeley Brogdon and Alex Genung combined to register 35 of the team's 51 kills with Lusk and Brogdon putting down 12 each. Genung finished with 11 while picking up a match-high 18 digs.
The Falcons broke a 6-6 tie in the first game on an attack error by OPSU that started a 12-2 run that gave them a commanding 18-8 lead. Jamie Roddell would finish the game with one of her seven kills on the match to give UTPB 1-0 match lead.
The second game went back and forth as the teams combined for 14 ties and neither squad led by more than three points the entire game. UTPB broke a 24-24 tie after a bad set by OPSU before an attack error by the Aggies gave the Falcons a game two victory.
The Aggies came out firing in the third game, collecting 11 kills with just four errors, while UTPB had 10 hitting errors and two service errors. Despite their bad fortune, the Falcons were able to tie the game at 17, but would never take the lead as the Aggies kept the match close with a game three win.
Like the Aggies in game three, UTPB picked up 14 kills with just five errors while tallying eight block assists that led to the deciding game four victory. The Falcons trailed 8-5 early in the game, but used a 6-2 run to make it 11-10, a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the way.
In the second match of the day, the Falcons avenged a 3-0 loss to Eastern New Mexico on Tuesday night with a 21-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-18 win over the Zias. UTPB hosted a block party once again as it picked up 14 team blocks for the second-straight match led by Terra Peil and Melissa Lusk who registered eight block assists each.
Eastern New Mexico capitalized on the Falcons worst hitting performance of the day as they had 10 errors with just seven kills, not to mention three service errors.
Game two was a polar opposite as UTPB racked up 13 kills on 36 attempts with just three errors. The Falcons never trailed in game two as they eventually broke a 17-17 tie on a Zia hitting error. ENMU came within one (23-22) on a kill by Jessica King, but would come no closer.
Neither team was able to get into a groove in game three as the two teams combined for a hitting percentage of .077. Both teams would exchange points to open the game until the Falcons used a 7-3 run to lead 14-10 after a kill by Roddell. Eastern's setter would end the game after running into the net on an attempted set to give UTPB a 2-1 game advantage.
The Falcons would close out the Zias with an impressive 12 kills with just three errors on 30 attacks to hit .300 for the game. Genung led the way with five kills with just one error and picked up a team-high four digs defensively.
UTPB will continue action tomorrow as it hosts Cameron at 3 p.m. and Fort Hays at 7 p.m.
