RICHARDSON, TX (11.12.16) - The No. 4-ranked UT Dallas volleyball team is heading to the regional title game of the NCAA D-III National Tournament for the first time in program history after an exciting 3-2 win over No. 25 Hendrix Saturday afternoon.

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

The Comets (now 32-2) set a new season record for victories at 31 as they held off Hendrix, 25-20, 21-25, 25-20, 25-27, 15-12 in a match filled with momentum swings and dramatic moments throughout. UTD will play No. 7-ranked Southwestern at 2 p.m. Sunday for the regional championship. Sunday's winner will advance to the National Tournament Round of 8 in Oshkosh, Wis., Nov. 17-19.

The Comets improved to 4-4 all-time in the national tournament, making its fifth appearance in the tournament, including three of the last four seasons.

UTD freshman Dylan Brinkman recorded a match-high 19 kills while senior Michelle Toro and junior Emma Wallbrown each finished with 10 kills in the match that included a combined 114 kills between the two teams. 

The Comets hit just .103 as a team in the marathon match, but used a stingy defense to help the visiting Warriors at bay. UTD ended the match with 133 digs, five shy of the school record, and had 13 blocks. Hendrix countered with 123 digs, and also recorded 19 blocks.

UTD started off the match fairly strong as the Comets earned a 25-20 win over the Warriors in the opening set. While the Comets hit just .146 in the first stanza, UTD got five blocks from freshman Lauren Schilling to help hold off the Warriors.

The Comets would hit under .100 for each of the next three sets as Hendrix would win 2-of-3 to even the match, 2-2. UTD hit just .091 in the second set as the Warriors earned a 25-21 win, but still managed a 25-20 win over the HC in the third set, despite hitting just .094. In the fourth, the Comets hit .000, collected 10 kills and 10 errors, as HC erased a late 24-21 deficit to secure a 27-25 and force the fifth set.

In the fifth set, the Comets opened up an early 4-2 lead before HC would even the set at 6-6. UTD responded with kills by Holyn Handley, Brinkman and Abbie Barth, however, to regain a 9-6 lead and never trailed the rest of the set. The Comets secured the 15-12 win in the deciding set with a Brinkman kill.