DENTON, Texas (Oct. 10, 2026) – The Texas Woman's volleyball team secured a 3-1 victory over St. Mary's on Saturday afternoon at Kitty Magee Arena, using a strong defensive performance to earn its third Lone Star Conference victory of the season.
The Pioneers (6-12, 3-5 LSC) defeated the Rattlers (10-9, 3-6 LSC) by scores of 25-17, 25-23, 24-26 and 25-23.
TWU finished the afternoon with 52 kills and a .210 hitting percentage while holding St. Mary's to a .153 clip.
The Pioneers controlled the net throughout the match, recording 16 blocks compared to just five for the Rattlers.
The Pioneers established an early advantage in the opening set, recording a match-high 17 kills hitting .359 to claim the 25-17 victory.
TWU carried that momentum into the second frame, holding off St. Mary's for a 25-23 win to take a two-set advantage.
Despite dropping a closely contested third set 26-24, the Pioneers responded in the fourth. TWU recorded 12 kills and hit .205 in the final frame to secure a 25-23 victory and close out the match.
Gracie Erichsen led the Pioneers offensively with a team-high 14 kills, while
Charlise Smith followed with 12.
Trinity Blackwood added nine kills.
At the net,
Teagan Hill anchored the defensive effort with a match-high eight blocks. Smith and
Montserrat Soto-Talavera contributed six blocks apiece as the Pioneers held St. Mary's to 51 kills on 170 attempts.
Senior libero
Alyssa Rojo continued to lead the Pioneers defensively, finishing with a match-high 22 digs and eight assists.
Lorena Gómez and
Mary Grace King each added 12 digs as TWU totaled 72 digs in the victory.
Cat Millsap directed the offense with a team-high 22 assists, while Gómez added 13 assists and two service aces. The Pioneers finished with 46 assists and four service aces.
KEY MOMENTS
- Set 1 Pioneers Take Control: TWU opened the match with 17 kills and a .359 hitting percentage while limiting St. Mary's to a .132 clip. The Pioneers committed just three attack errors to secure a 25-17 victory.
- Set 2 TWU Extends Its Lead: The Pioneers battled through a closely contested second set despite recording nine kills and a .050 hitting percentage. TWU held St. Mary's to a .143 clip and claimed a 25-23 victory to take a 2-0 match advantage.
- Set 3 Rattlers Respond: TWU recorded 14 kills and hit .227 in the third frame, but St. Mary's answered with 14 kills of its own. The Rattlers edged the Pioneers 26-24 to extend the match.
- Set 4 Pioneers Seal the Victory: TWU closed the match with 12 kills and a .205 hitting percentage while limiting St. Mary's to a .159 clip. The Pioneers held off the Rattlers for a 25-23 victory to secure the four-set win.
PRIME PERFORMERS
UP NEXT
The Pioneers return to the road Friday, Oct. 16, to face Angelo State at 6 p.m. in San Angelo, Texas,.
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-PIONEERS-
