The University of Texas of the Permian Basin volleyball team held off St. Mary's late in the first set to take a 1-0 lead, but was unable to keep the Rattlers from winning the final three sets in a 26-24, 15-25, 19-25, 20-25 loss Tuesday night at the Falcon Dome.

The Falcons got out to a fast start despite conceding the first three points of the match, scoring eight in a row to climb ahead 8-3. UTPB maintained a large lead through the middle of the set until the Rattlers recorded five straight kills and six straight points to cut the lead to one at 17-16. 
 
St. Mary's scored three in a row to tie the set at 20-20, and added three more after a UTPB kill to take a 23-21 lead. But the Falcons closed the set out strong, rallying from two behind and St. Mary's serving for set point to score the final four points, the last two aces from Ariel Fralick, to take the first 26-24.

St. Mary's controlled the early portions of next two sets, scoring the first six in the second and eight of nine towards the beginning of set three, a set the Falcons rebounded to tie 14-14 before St. Mary's countered with five points of their own, in winning the second and third sets to take a 2-1 lead.

The Falcons rebounded after St. Mary's once again scored the first points of set four to take a 5-1 lead early on, pulling within a point on three straight kills to trail 11-10. They would be held at pay the remainder of the contest, unable to get closer than two points for the rest of the match as the Rattlers took the match with a 25-20 fourth set win.

Melissa Lusk led all players with 143 kills on the evening with a .364 hitting percentage. 

The Falcons hit the road this weekend in Heartland Conference action beginning Thursday night, traveling to Austin, Texas, for a 7 p.m. contest at St. Edward's.