LAREDO, Texas (September 19, 2024) – The first match of the Lone Star Conference Crossover hosted by Team A&M International University saw The University of Texas Permian Basin women's volleyball team win its sixth match in a row and sweep the host Dustdevils by a score of 3-0 (25-23, 27-25, 25-17).

It was the fourth sweep for UTPB (6-2 overall) in its last five meetings with TAMIU (2-6).

UTPB won each of the first two sets by the minimum of two points before rolling to victory with a 22-15 lead late in the third set.

Despite the 3-0 score, the statistics were extremely close. Points were even at 49-49, kills were 36-35 in favor of UTPB, aces were even at 5-5, blocks were in favor of TAMIU 9-8, assists were a 32-28 advantage for the Dustdevils, and digs were in favor of the Falcons at 56-53.

After finishing with 11 kills on 12 attacks for a .917 hitting percentage in the last match against New Mexico Highlands University, Chyra Thompson picked up where she left off with four kills on .800 percent hitting in the first set against TAMIU.

Thompson would finish as the lone Falcon with double-digit kills against the Dustdevils as she concluded the match with 12 kills and hit .455 percent. It was Thompson's third match in a row with at least 11 kills and a .348 hitting percentage.

Other contributors to the sweep for UTPB included Jenna Gray with 17 assists and 10 digs, Gabby Gregorski with 13 digs, and Lauren Demuth with six kills and four blocks.

For Gray, it was her fourth double-double of the season and her first since notching a double-double in all three matches during the opening weekend for the Falcons at the Angelo State University Kathleen Brasfield Invitational.

Demuth matched Thompson with a .455 hitting percentage while Gloria Geurin registered nine digs and five kills and Kennedi Wright added eight digs.

UTPB scored the first seven points of the match, but would need to dig down deep to pull out the win in the first set. A kill by Thompson made it 23-22 Falcons, another kill by Thompson made it 24-23, and then an assisted block by Thompson and Logan Terrazas gave UTPB the 25-23 win.

In the second set, UTPB survived set point for TAMIU and got a kill by Grace Feddern to tie the set at 25-25. A Dustdevil attack error was then followed by another kill by Thompson to give the Falcons the 2-0 lead.

Down 14-12 in the third set, UTPB won six straight points and only allowed three points the rest of the way to close the match on a 13-3 run. Five of UTPB's last six points of the match came on TAMIU attack errors.

UTPB Head Coach CJ Allard said, "Going on the longest road trip in the conference for a crossover is not an enviable way to have to open your slate against conference foes, but I could not be more proud of our composure tonight, especially late in sets. You'll see very few blowouts in Lone Star play, so that late-set discipline will continue to play an important role in our outcomes."

The Falcons wrap up their stay at the Lone Star Conference Crossover tomorrow (Sept. 20) against Lubbock Christian University with first serve again slated for 6 p.m.