box score
The Texas-Permian Basin volleyball team put itself back in the thick of the Heartland Conference race after taking a 3-1 (27-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-15) win over Newman and showed once again why they are leading the league in blocks as the Falcons racked up16 in the victory.
Newman came into the match tied for first place in the league standings with just one loss, but struggled offensively thanks to the Falcons defense at the net.
Melissa Lusk, Jamie Rodell and Terra Peil were dominant up front defensively as they accounted for 19 of the team's 24 block assists with Lusk leading the way with seven. Peil had six assists and two solo blocks, while Rodell had six block assists.
In the first set, both teams exchanged points as the momentum shifted back and forth with neither team taking more than a three point lead the entire game. The lead changed five times and was tied another 10 before the Falcons pulled out an extended-set win. Ironically, UTPB had just two total team blocks, but hit .125 for the mach, while Newman registered a .077 hitting percentage.
The second set saw the Falcons jump out to an 8-2 lead after a kill by Alex Genung, who finished with a match-high 17 with just four errors in 34 total attacks. Newman quickly erased the lead after it went on a 6-1 run and would eventually tie the set at 10 after a kill by Sarah Bailey. After the teams exchanged points, the Jets led 20-16 after a kill by Victoria Green. UTPB would battle back to tie it at 23, but two-straight points but Newman gave them the victory and tied the match at one set each.
UTPB couldn't have asked for a better start in the third set as it jumped out to an 8-1 lead and would eventually lead 12-3, but Newman crept its way back into the contest and would eventually pull within one (22-21) when an attack error by the Falcons capped off a 9-3 run. UTPB never lost the lead as it would eventually win the set when Rodell registered one of her 11 kills on the night. She would commit just two errors in 29 total attacks for a .310 hitting percentage.
With a commanding 2-1 lead under their belts, the Falcons started the fourth set much like the third, jumping out to a 12-4 lead. This time they wouldn't look back as they held Newman to just 15 points and had just three errors offensively in the win.
Genung had very few negatives in her performance as she tallied a double-double with 16 digs to go along with her 17 kills while picking up three assists, two service aces and three block assists. Lusk was just as impressive as she had nine kills with just one error as she hit .381 for the match.
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UTPB will remain at home Saturday when it hosts Arkansas-Fort Smith at 2 p.m. in Heartland Conference action.
