ODESSA, Texas (September 26, 2025) – The 2025 Lone Star Conference opener for The University of Texas Permian Basin women's volleyball team, which was also the Falcons' home opener, resulted in a 3-1 (25-21, 25-23, 20-25, 25-18) victory for the Falcons against St. Edward's University.

After a 2-8 start to the season, conference play represents a chance for a fresh start for the Falcons.

In her return to the lineup for the first time since the first day of the season, Ashlee Macias led all players with 21 kills and added 10 digs for her second double-double in three matches played this season. It was also her second time going over the 20-kill mark in a match so far.

Behind Macias in the kills' column was Makenna Grimes with 13 while Lauren Demuth had 11 kills, four blocks and hit .579 percent.

Kierra Freeman set a new career-high with 43 assists and added 16 digs for her fifth double-double of the year.

Defensively, Kyndall Torres led the way with 21 digs while Nickilah Whatley recorded five blocks.

UTPB finished with a season-high 10 blocks as a team while SEU's .160 attack percentage was the second-lowest allowed by the Falcons' defense so far this year. UTPB outhit SEU .245 to .160 and held a 10-6 advantage in total blocks. During last's year 3-1 win over SEU during UTPB's Senior Day, the Falcons also set a season-high in blocks (15). Overall, UTPB has now won five straight matches against the Hilltoppers, which came into this latest match after hosting the Lone Star Conference Challenge and winning both of its matches against UT Dallas (W, 3-1) and Cameron (W, 3-0) last week.

The Hilltoppers were also done-in by 12 service errors on the evening, despite converting on nine service aces, eight by Kelli Fording. Fording also tallied 16 kills and led all players with 24.5 points on the match.

The Falcons hit .250 in the opening set and .378 in the second, using late runs in both frames to edge ahead.

The opening set was highlighted by three early blocks for UTPB to take a 6-3 lead, and then later on in the set a successful challenge by Head Coach CJ Allard resulted in a kill by Whatley to make it 17-13 Falcons. A service ace by Freeman got the Falcons to set point up 24-18, and then four points later a kill by Macias assisted by Freeman gave UTPB a 1-0 set lead.

In the second set, blocks again played a role as an assisted block by Freeman and Demuth gave UTPB an 8-4 lead before an assisted block by Grimes and Demuth made it 16-13 UTPB. However, tied at 22-22 in the second set, UTPB was able to turn to its top two attackers on the night to get the set win as after a kill by Macias, a kill by Grimes on a blocking error by the Hilltoppers got the Falcons to set point up 24-22. After an unsuccessful challenge by SEU on the blocking error, two points later, Grimes finished off the set with another kill.

Freeman had the assist on all three kills on the final three points of the set for UTPB. Grimes finished with six kills in the second set and was hitting .636 for the match after two sets, while Demuth was somehow hitting even better at .727 percent with eight kills.

In the third set, UTPB trailed 4-1 after three straight aces by Fording and was behind 10-3 and 14-8 before an assisted block by Amyah Collins and Demuth was followed by a kill by Macias assisted from Emma Gonzalez. That started a 7-1 Falcons' run to tie the set at 15-15 after a kill by Gonzalez on the setter attack. However, SEU had the answer with back-to-back kills and three straight points, and after a kill by Demuth made it a one-point deficit (20-19), the Hilltoppers earned the win on a 5-1 run.

UTPB regained control in the fourth set, posting 17 kills and hitting .244 to seal the match. UTPB saw SEU get within one (15-14) midway through the fourth set, but answered with a 10-4 run to close out the match. Each of UTPB's final six points of the match came on a kill, including back-to-back kills by Macias to get the Falcons to match point up 24-17 and the final kill by Grimes two points later. Freeman started the run of six straight kills with a setter kill herself before dishing out the assist on each of the last five kills.

Coach Allard spoke on the victory, "It was great to have Ashlee back tonight, but maybe even more so than having our conference player of the year candidate back, we were able to have other players back into their normal positions with the addition of Ashlee, and that collective effort showed through in tonight's win. Anytime you can get a win in conference play its huge, but showing what we were made of in front of an awesome home atmosphere was really the icing on the cake tonight. We will need the same effort if not better against a strong St. Mary's squad tomorrow afternoon."

After the home opener today, the Falcons will return to the court tomorrow to host St. Mary's University at 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 27.