ODESSA, Texas (October 10, 2026) – The University of Texas Permian Basin volleyball team was tied 21-21 against the No. 6-ranked team in the country in the opening set, but in the end, it was a 3-0 (25-22, 25-13, 25-20) defeat for the Falcons against No. 6 Angelo State University on Saturday inside the Falcon Dome.
The highlight of the opening set for UTPB was freshman setter
Carson Peoples, who made her Falcon debut and then made her presence felt with a setter kill to tie it at 6-6. UTPB then led 8-6 after an assisted block by
Addison Parks and
Precious Johnson and a service ace by
Kaitlyn Salgado as the Falcons stood up to the No. 6 team in the country early on.
UTPB tied it at 11-11 after a kill by Parks assisted by Peoples, a service ace by
Isabel Rodriguez and a block assist by
Makenna Grimes and
Nickilah Whatley. The Falcons then went ahead 12-11 on a huge kill by Grimes assisted from Peoples and ultimately made it five straight points (up 13-11) on the second ace by Rodriguez. It was also UTPB's third ace already in the match less than halfway through the first set. In addition, the UTPB defense got off to a good start, recording a pair of blocks and limiting the Rambelles to three kills and four attack errors (-0.032 percent) to open the match.
UTPB maintained the lead until ASU battled back to tie it at 18-18, and then the Falcons tied it at 20-20 and 21-21, both times on kills by Parks off the assist from Peoples.
Then in arguably the most important point of the match, UTPB seemingly took a 22-21 lead when an overpass on the serve reception by the Belles led to a kill by Whatley. However, a challenge by ASU Head Coach Chuck Waddington on the ensuing dig attempt by the Belles was deemed successful, resulting in a replay of the point.
It was a crucial momentum swing as ASU won each of the next three points after the challenge and won the set 25-22. Despite the final score, UTPB fought hard in the first set, battling the Belles to nine ties and six lead changes. In addition, Peoples was working hard in her debut, totaling five assists and six digs in the first set of her career.
After six ties early in the second set, a 7-6 UTPB lead did not last long as six straight kills by the Belles made it a 12-7 advantage. In all, it was a 10-2 run for ASU to take complete control of the set as the Belles led by 10 points (21-11) and ultimately doubled up the Falcons (24-12) before taking the 25-13 win. 10 of ASU's first 11 points and 16 of its first 18 points of the set came via the kill. The Belles would finish the set with 20 kills on a .372 hitting percentage.
UTPB again led early in the third set and looked to lead 5-3 after a kill by Johnson, but a second successful challenge by ASU instead made it 4-4. Johnson would later get her kill to make it 6-5 Falcons and start a 4-0 UTPB run as the Falcons refused to give up. With a 9-5 lead, the UTPB defense was again making an impact early, limiting the ASU offense to four kills and three attack errors (.083 percent).
Each of the second and third sets featured six ties early on. However, Coach Waddington continued to make all of the right moves for ASU, calling a timeout to stop the Falcons' run and then allowing his team to go on a 5-0 run to retake the lead at 10-9. That was just the start of a 9-1 ASU run that featured two solo blocks by Mary Johnson and ended with the second ace of the run by Gabi Ashcraft.
The run grew further (16-4), resulting in a 21-13 lead for ASU, but the Falcons decided to give it a run late in the third set. A kill by Grimes and the second ace of the set by Salgado jumpstarted a 6-0 UTPB run that saw the Falcons cut their deficit to 22-19 on a kill from Parks and 22-20 an another kill from Grimes. However, back-to-back kills by reigning Lone Star Conference Player of the Year Maddi Parrish before a kill by Johnson on the final point of the match gave ASU the 25-20 win.
Parks led UTPB with eight kills, Grimes followed with seven kills, Whatley totaled four kills and four blocks, Salgado totaled three aces and nine digs,
Kierra Freeman led with 13 assists, and Rodriguez chipped in with nine digs and two aces. In addition, Peoples totaled 11 assists and 11 digs for a double-double in her first collegiate match.
"We played high-level volleyball in sets one and three and were able to get them out of system and slow down their very efficient offense," spoke UTPB Head Coach
Melissa Avila after the match. "Our block worked really hard to get quality and positive touches and our defense gave us a lot of opportunities. We will get back in the gym next week and continue to work and grow, and we are fortunate for three more home games before we are back on the road."
UTPB falls to 5-9 overall and 0-8 in the LSC while No. 6 ASU improves to 18-1 and 8-0 with 10 straight victories after its lone loss of the season back on September 5 vs. now-No. 1-ranked Ferris State University. The Belles are coming off a 2025 season in which they went 26-8 overall and 15-2 in conference play, winning the LSC Regular Season and Tournament Championships and advancing to the South Central Regional final for the second straight season before falling to eventual national champion MSU Denver.
This was the start of four straight home matches for the Falcons, who next week will host Dallas Baptist University at 6 p.m. on Friday, October 16, and Texas Woman's University at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 17.
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