RICHARDSON, TX (11.07.15) - The No. 15-ranked UT Dallas volleyball team won its first American Southwest Conference title in six seasons Saturday afternoon with a dominant 3-0 victory over reigning champion Mary Hardin-Baylor. The Comets cruised to a 25-10, 25-19, 25-18, win over UMHB to earn their third-ever ASC crown.
TOURNAMENT CENTRALThe Comets (now 30-2) hit .318 for the match and out-blocked the top blocking team in the ASC, 10-4, en route to their 23rd consecutive victory and second 30-win season in program history. With the win, the Comets earned the ASC's automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Natinoal Tournament. The tournament bracket and locations will be announced 10 a.m. Monday at www.ncaa.com.
Senior setter
Kayla Jordan, the NCAA D-III leader in assists per set, was named the Tournament MVP as she delivered 34 assists, along with six digs and two blocks, in the title-clinching match. Junior
Holyn Handley finished with 13 kills, hitting .429, while junior
Michelle Toro had 12 kills, hitting .458. Both Handley and Toro joined Jordan on the All-Tournament Team.
The Comets came out blazing, hitting .455 for a 25-10 opening set win over ASC West Division champions. Handley blasted six kills, without an error on eight swings, as UTD set the tone for the match. The Comets would hit .227 for the second set and .341 for the third to record their 11th match of the season with a .300 hitting percentage or higher. Toro wrapped up the match with six blocks while Handley and freshman
Kristyn Schott had four rejections. Schott and senior
Kelsey Morrison each had three aces. Freshman libero
Fayna Zeng had a match-high 16 digs.
For UMHB (now 19-12), Shelby Russell had 12 kills while Abby Voskuil finished with 10 kills. Setter Shelby Prather had 27 assists. Prather and Voskuil were named to the All-Tournament Team for the Cru.
Other selections to the All-Tournament were Texas-Tyler's Rebecca Floyd and Concordia Texas' Skye Truss.
UTD will be heading to the NCAA D-III National Tournament for the third time in program history and second time in three season. The Comets won the ASC title in 2008 and 2009 and were chosen as an at-large selection for the event in 2013.
