RICHARDSON, TX (08.31.18) - The UT Dallas volleyball team opened up the 2018 season on Friday with a pair of home sweeps as the Comets kicked off the 2018 UTD Laboy Day Classic.

The Comets (2-0) opened the year with a 3-0 win over Wisconsin-Superior, 25-20, 25-20, 25-16, before collecting a 3-0 win over Heidelberg, 25-19, 25-10, 25-22. UTD will return to action next weekend as the Comets travel to San Antonio for a tournament hosted by Trinity University.

UTD 3, Wisconsin-Superior 0
Jillian Via smashed a career-best 16 kills as the Comets opened up the year with a quick 3-0 home win over Wisconsin-Superior.

Via, a junior out of Frisco, finished with a .469 attack percentage while adding five digs and an ace as UTD rolled over the visiting Yellowjackets, 25-20, 25-20, 25-16. Sophomore Dylan Brinkman, who missed the 2017 season due to injury, and junior Lauren Schilling each added nine kills.

The Comets hit just .179 as a team but never trailed as they snagged a 25-20 win over UW-Superior. UTD scored the first four points of the match and never looked back as Via had a team-best four kills and a pair of digs.UTD turned up the offense in the second set, hitting .308 as a team with Via collecting eight putaways in another 25-20 victory for the Comets. The Comets then completed the sweep with a a .435 team hitting percentage in the decisive third set, getting four kills each from Via and Schilling.

UTD 3, Heidelberg 0
The Comets made it 2-0 on the young season with another quick three-set victory, downing Heidelberg, 25-19, 25-10, 25-22.

Via once again led the Comet offense, finishing with 10 kills and 12 digs in the short win. Schilling pitched in eight kills while Brinkman added seen kills. The Comets hit .161 as a team and collected six total blocks in the sweep.

Via, Schilling and Sydney Riordan each contributed three kills as the Comets set the tone with a 25-19 win in the first set of the match. UTD then opened the second stanza with 10 straight points on the service of Caroline Shecterle, en route to a lop-sided 25-20 victory. In the second set, UTD would hit .250 as a a team. Via added her final four kills of the day in the third set as the Comets locked up their second straight sweep with a 25-22 win.