GEORGETOWN, Texas – The UT Dallas volleyball team opened the 2022 season with a split at the SU Invitational on the campus of Southwestern University Friday afternoon.
The Comets, who are receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 Poll, opened the year with a come-from-behind five-set win over George Fox. UTD followed with a four-set loss to Augsburg, who is also receiving votes in the poll.
The win was the first for head coach
Zach Villarreal, as he took over the helm after 18 seasons as UTD's assistant.
In the victory over the Bruins (0-2), the Comets were down 23-25, 25-19, 20-25, but gained momentum with 25-12 fourth set win to knot it up. UTD blasted a .536 hitting percentage, connecting on 16 kills with just one error. UT Dallas finished off George fox with a 15-11 fifth set.
UTD hit outhit GFU .204 to .092, while posting 58 kills, nine aces, 67 digs and one block. The Bruins had 39 kills, 10 aces, 54 digs and five blocks.
Against the Auggies, the Comets took the first set 25-18, but AU won the final three frames 25-18, 25-17, 25-19.
Augsburg hit .186, compared to .115 for UTD and held a 47-41 kills advantage. The Comets recorded five aces, five blocks and 60 digs, while the Auggies had 10 aces, 9.5 blocks and 59 digs.
UT Dallas Notes vs. George Fox
- Senior outside hitter/right side
Madison Ball recorded a career-high 14 kills and hit .345 with 13 digs.
- Senior outside
Catherine Croft came up with 12 kills and a pair of aces
- Junior setter
Emma Sevening tied for career-best with 27 assists and three aces.
- Junior libero
Rachel Baxter led all players with 26 digs.
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Abby Jones, a senior outside, recorded 12 digs and nine kills.
- Junior setter
Izzy Sundquist added 17 assists and junior
Erin Rogers posted 10 kills.
George Fox Notes
- Kassandra Staton led the Bruins with nine kills.
- No player for GFU hit above .167.
- Kennedy Kirby had 30 assists, three aces, three blocks and 10 digs.
- Taylor Dekoning had eight kills and 16 digs.
UT Dallas Notes vs. Augsburg
- Croft led the Comets with 15 kills and two aces.
- Rogers, a junior middle/right side hit .394 with eight kills.
- Jones came up with eight kills and 24 digs.
- Sevening assisted 22 points, while Sundquist had 14.
Augusburg Notes
- Kevin Boysen paced AU with 11 kills, hit .310 and recorded 13 digs.
- Kayla Gjerde added nine kills
- Mikayla Coops hit .750 with nine kills, 32 assists and 16 digs.
- Emily Kaup served five aces and Marie Venberg led all players with four blocks.
Up Next
The Comets will wrap up the SU Invitational with host #18 Southwestern (Texas) at 3:15 p.m. Saturday.
