ODESSA, Texas (November 14, 2025) – After being eliminated from postseason contention last time out, The University of Texas Permian Basin volleyball team swept Texas A&M International University in three identical sets, 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-22), on Friday afternoon one day before the Falcons' Senior Day.

The highlights of the match for UTPB (10-16 overall, 8-8 Lone Star Conference) included another double-double for Ashlee Macias (14 kills, 12 digs), Nickilah Whatley challenging her for the lead in kills with 12 while also hitting .417 percent, Kierra Freeman reaching 40-plus assists (42) for the fifth time on the season, and Emma Gonzalez coming on strong to record nine digs during the second set.

For Macias, who normally makes a name for herself offensively, it was her eighth double-double of the season and was her fourth match in a row with 12-plus digs. She also hit over .300 percent (308) for the seventh time this season.

Lauren Demuth and Makenna Grimes both added eight kills and two blocks as well.

A trio of Falcons (Macias, Kyndall Torres, Gonzalez) totaled 12 digs while another trio (Whatley, Demuth, Grimes) each recorded two blocks.

UTPB got other spirited performances offensively early from Jaylee Mills (5 kills, .375 percent) and later from Kimaya Webb (4 kills, .400 percent).

Mills earned UTPB first two points of the match with back-to-back kills. UTPB later led 16-15 after a block by Whatley and an ace by Torres, part of a 5-0 Falcons' run to make it 18-15. TAMIU, however, kept it close in the first set and trimmed its deficit to just one point (19-18). Three straight points by UTPB started with a kill by Grimes and ended with an ace by Grimes to make it 22-18, a powerful kill by Demuth made it 23-20, and a kill by Macias ended it. Mills would lead the Falcons with four kills on five attempts (.800 percent) in the opening set.

UTPB trailed 13-9 in the second set until a 9-1 run which saw a kill by Webb on an overpass to make it a one-point deficit (13-12), followed by a kill by Macias to tie it at 14-14. UTPB would lead 15-14 after a kill by Whatley, and then a second kill by Webb on an overpass made it 16-14. The run for the Falcons ended with a kill by Grimes to make it 18-14.

However, just like it did late in the first set, TAMIU trimmed its deficit all the way down to one point (20-19) late in the second set, and this time took a 22-21 lead after an ace to make it 21-21 was followed by a kill by Sierra Sanchez to conclude a very long rally. Macias and UTPB would not be denied as Macias notched back-to-back kills to tie the set and give UTPB back the lead, and then she ended a 4-0 run for UTPB to win the set with another kill. Macias totaled seven kills during the second set to bring her total to 10 for the match, and Freeman dished out 15 assists.

UTPB trailed for the majority of the early going in the third set, lastly at 14-11 before a 5-0 run with Gonzalez serving. Three kills by Macias in the span of six points gave UTPB some cushion with a 20-17 lead, but yet again the Dustdevils battled back, this time tying it at 21-21. UTPB would successfully close out the match with back-to-back kills by Grimes and Demuth assisted by Freeman to make it 23-21, and then a final kill by Grimes assisted by Freeman was all she wrote.

 Both teams hit over .250 percent for the match and hit over .300 percent in the final set.

UTPB Head Volleyball Coach CJ Allard had this to say, "I'm proud of the fight we showed in our first match after being eliminated from the postseason. Each set had a 50/50 moment midway through, and some tough service pressure and long rally discipline allowed us to pull ahead while the set was in the balance. I'm especially proud of how well Jaylee played today in her first collegiate start at the D2 level. We'll need another strong performance against a strong Kingsville squad."

Heading into the final day of the season on Saturday, November 15, UTPB hosts Texas A&M University-Kingsville for Senior Day starting at 1 p.m.