UT Permian Basin improved to 6-4 on the season in picking up an exciting 25-15, 16-25, 25-23, 25-16 Lone Star Conference victory over Eastern New Mexico Tuesday night in their home opener at the UTPB Gym in Odessa.
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UTPB got some separation in the opening set, scoring five straight points to climb ahead 12-7 early in the first. The Falcons later scored six of seven points, the final two on a kill by
Aquincia Strambler and a block by Strambler and
Travana Matthews for a 21-13 advantage. A pair of kills by Matthews sandwiched around an ace by
Megan Ashton gave the Falcons the 10-point set victory.
After a second set that saw the Greyhounds escape out to an early 10-5 lead in the one set they would take, UTPB countered the Greyhounds winning the first two points of set three with five straight points, including two kills by
Cadey Jones and one each from
Puava Tulau to go ahead 5-2. In a tight set that saw points change hands back and forth regularly, UTPB mounted a charge by going ahead 24-21 on winning four of five points with kills from
Skyler Friel and
Marissa Aguilar, and claimed the two-point win 25-23 on a winner by Friel.
The Falcons took over a back-and-fourth fourth set that was close before six straight points with three on kills by
Marissa Aguilar doubled up Eastern New Mexico 16-8. The two teams alternated points until the Falcons closed out the match with the final three on a kill by Aguilar, kill by Tulau and game-winner by Aguilar.
The Falcons hit .300 as a team to .197 by Eastern New Mexico on the night, recording 55 kills to 47 by the Greyhounds. The Falcons also had fewer errors on the night (16 to 20).
Friel led a pair of Falcons in double digits in kills with 12 on the night with a team best .467 hitting percentage. Aguilar added 11 kills while Matthews had one error on 20 attempts for nine kills and a .400 percentage.
Analise Lucio led all players with 22 assists, and
Sarah Vasquez had a match-high 18 digs on the night.
The Falcons are back in action this weekend, hosting MSU Texas and Cameron Friday and Saturday.
