box score
 
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin volleyball team is peaking at the right time as it took a 3-1 (25-12, 25-17, 17-25, 25-21) victory over Wayland Baptist.  The Falcons have now won five of their last six matches, including two straight. 
 
The Falcons dominated every facet of the match except for the third match where head coach Steve Aicinena gave his substitutes an opportunity to play and ironically was the only set UTPB dropped.  The Falcons out-hit, out-dug, out-blocked and collected more service aces as they improved to 16-13 on the season. 
 
UTPB used a team effort in the victory as three players finished with at least 10 kills with Jamie Rodell leading the way with 12.  Heather Sanchez picked up her third-straight double-double with 10 kills and 11 digs, while Melissa Lusk had 10 kills as well. 
 
In the first set, UTPB broke a 3-3 tie with a 13-2 run to lead 16-5 and cruised the rest of the way.  The Falcons hit .300 for the set, garnering 13 kills with just four errors while the Pioneers struggled offensively with just seven kills and seven errors. 
 
The Falcons never trailed in the second set as they jumped out to a 6-3 lead after Sanchez put down a kill down the line.  The Pioneers got as close as 12-10 when Kate Trejos put down one of her match-high 18 kills.  UTPB used another 8-1 push to run away with the set and eventually out-scored Wayland Baptist 13-7 the rest of the way to take a commanding two-set lead. 
 
Wayland Baptist took its first lead of the match to open the third set as the Pioneers rattled off six-straight points before Lusk finally put the Falcons on the board with a cross-court kill.  Wayland Baptist would eventually lead 12-3 which proved to be too much for UTPB to overcome.  It would pull within five (15-10) thanks to an attack error by the Pioneers, but the Falcons would come no closer the rest of the set. 
 
The teams went back-and-forth in the next set before an attack error by Wayland Baptist gave UTPB a 13-12 lead they would not lose the rest of the way.  Keeley Brogdon finally closed out the match with a cross-court kill, finishing with six on the night. 
 
Aicinena now has 299 career victories under his belt and will be looking for his 300^th this weekend when the Falcons head to Goodwell, Okla. to take on Panhandle State and Southwest Baptist in a non-conference matchup.