RICHARDSON, TX (09.13.16) - After climbing three spots in the latest NCAA Division III Top 25 earlier in the day, the now No. 11-ranked UT Dallas volleyball team improved to 6-1 on the young season Tuesday night with a 3-0 home win over non-conference rival Austin College.

The Comets easily handled AC by set scores of 25-19, 25-16, 25-9. UTD will next host LeTourneau Friday night in the American Southwest Conference opener for both squads. Match time is 7 p.m. at the UTD Activity Center.

UTD would finish the night hitting an impressive .310 as a team, getting stronger as the night went on. Michelle Toro led the Comets with 12 kills and Shelby Walker added eight kills before the UTD bench saw much playing time in the third set.

Toro and Walker both had five kills in the opening set to spark a 1-0 lead after a 25-19 win. Abbie Barth would have 10 of her match-high 18 digs in the opening stanza as the Comet defense set the tone for the contest. After hitting .212 in the opening set, the Comets improved to .340 in the second set en route to a 25-16 win. Barth and Fayna Zeng each contributed four kills in the set while libero Briana Tully picked up eight digs.

After intermission, the Comets opened the third set on an 8-0 run and sailed to a 25-9 victory in the deciding game, thanks to a .444 team hitting percentage. Seven different Comets recorded a kill in the lop-sided set with Toro finished with five put aways without an error.

Freshman setter Caroline Shecterle ended the night with 36 assists (12.0 per set), while Shecterle and Toro each had two blocks. Freshman Dylan Brinkman matched Barth's dig total of 18 for the match high.