UT Permian Basin volleyball split its first two matches of the season Friday at the Margaret Downing Invitational hosted by Southern Arkansas in Magnolia, Ark. The Falcons fell in five sets in the first match of the day against Mississippi College, and rallied Friday night after trailing 2-0 to win the last three sets of the contest against hosts Southern Arkansas.

Skyler Friel and Travana Matthews came up big for the Falcons in the 25-27, 19-25, 25-22, 25-17, 15-8 victory over the Muleriders. Friel paced UTPB with 20 kills in the five set match, leading all players by hitting .455 on 33 attempts. She also added a solo block, five assisted blocks, four service aces and five digs on the night. Matthews added 12 kills while hitting .226 and contributed another solo block and five block assists.

The Falcons grabbed the momentum in the fourth set, scoring three straight points twice early on to take a 6-2 lead. After the Mueriders tied the set at 8-8, the Falcons took advantage of four SAU errors and a pair of aces by Sarah Vasquez to score six straight to go on top 14-8. The Falcons closed out the fourth by winning the last four points of the set for the 25-17 win.

In the decisive fifth set, UT Permian Basin poured on the points late, scoring five straight and eight of the last nine of the night for the 15-8 fifth set win to claim the match victory.

Despite committing five more errors than Southern Arkansas on the evening, the Falcons had 57 total kills to 45 for the match for SAU.

Analise Lucio led all players with 32 assists on the night, while Vasquez had a match best 26 digs.

The Falcons had a match slip out of their hands to open play Friday. UT Permian Basin won the second and third sets to take a 2-1 lead Friday morning, but fell in five 24-26, 25-21, 25-22, 20-25, 13-15 against Mississippi College.

UTPB rallied to tie the fifth set at 13-13 after a pair of MC attack errors, but Mississippi College closed out the match with a pair of kills to win the fifth by a pair.

The Falcons had 10 fewer kills than Mississippi College on the morning, but also committed seven fewer errors. 

Matthews led the Falcons with 14 kills against MC while Aquincia Strambler tallied 11. Lucio had 24 assists for UTPB while Megan Ashton had 23 digs for the Falcons.

UT Permian Basin closes out its weekend in Arkansas Saturday, facing Union at 11 a.m. and Quincy at 5 p.m.