Volleyball | 8/28/2026 12:55:00 PM
ANCHORAGE, Ala. (Aug. 28, 2026) – The Texas Woman's volleyball team opened their season at the Seawolf Invitational on Thursday night.
TWU (0-2) won the opening sets in both of their matches but dropped close sets after to fall to Lenoir-Rhyne (1-0) and the host school, Alaska-Anchorage (3-2). Both teams were receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Preseason Coaches Poll.
IMPACT PLAYERS
AGAINST LENOIR-RHYNE
AGAINST UAA
- King once again led the Pioneers in attack. She finished the match with 11 kills, and she also recorded her second straight double-double with 11 digs.
- Gómez continued her strong to the season, tabbing 29 assists and 12 digs.
- Blackwood finished with a career-high seven blocks.
KEY MOMENTS
AGAINST LENOIR-RHYNE
- Dominant Set 1 Closing Run: TWU completely took control of the opening set by closing on a massive 12–1 run. Trailing 13–12 in the set, TWU mounted a relentless rally—fueled by six kills from King and strong front-row blocking—to secure a commanding 25–14 set victory.
- Crucial Mid-Set Turnaround in Set 2: Down 5–9 in the second set, TWU ignited a 4–0 run off Gracie Erichsen's serving—including an ace—to tie the set at 9–9 and reset the momentum.
- Marathon Second Set Battle: The second set turned into a back-and-forth battle, featuring 21 tie scores and 11 lead changes. TWU repeatedly fended off set points, including a kill by Soto-Talavera to knot the score at 24–24 and a Charlise Smith kill to tie it at 25–25, before Lenoir-Rhyne finally edged out a 29–27 win.
- Mid-Match Net Surge in Set 3: TWU showcased strong front-row defense halfway through the third set, using consecutive blocks—first by Blackwood and Teagan Hill, then by King and Hill—to surge back into a tight 18–16 contest
- Late-Set Comeback Effort in Set 3: Trailing 23–20 in Set 3, TWU pushed back with a 3–0 run—highlighted by a King kill, a Blackwood kill, and a defensive forced error—to tie the set at 23–23 before Lenoir-Rhyne narrowly escaped with a 26–24 set win.
- Fourth Set Spark: Down 14–9 in the fourth set, TWU attempted one final surge behind Alyssa Rojo's serve. Rojo delivered a service ace during a 4–0 team run to trim the deficit to 14–13 and keep TWU within striking distance, but the Pioneers fell in the last set 25-18.
AGAINST UAA
- Emphatic Opening Statement: TWU dominated the net early, out-hitting Alaska-Anchorage .419 to .156. Down 10–9, the Pioneers exploded with a 15–9 run, powered by King's seven Set 1 kills, to comfortably take the opening set 25–19.
- Wall at the Net: Early block momentum set the tone in Set 1, highlighted by Blackwood, King, and Soto-Talavera forcing key UAA attack errors—including a massive late block by King and Soto-Talavera to push the lead to 23–17.
- Early Deficit & Response in Set 2: After UAA broke open an 11–0 lead to start Set 2, TWU refused to fold. Behind consecutive kills and blocks from Blackwood, Soto-Talavera, and a Soto-Talavera service ace, TWU compiled an 11–3 response run to fight back into the set.
- Sparks Off the Bench: Smith injected immediate energy into the front row in the fourth set, delivering crucial back-to-back kills and teaming up with Soto-Talavera for a block to help spark a 4–0 Pioneer rally.
- Relentless Set 4 Fightback: Trailing 12–10 in Set 4, TWU staged a furious comeback featuring a King service ace and back-to-back kills from Erichsen and Smith to take a 16–13 lead and force a UAA timeout. The Pioneers pushed the Seawolves in set four but fell late 25-21.
NEXT UP
The Pioneers continue their action on Friday, Aug. 28 at the Seawolf Invitational. They will meet No. 16 Alaska-Fairbanks at 6 p.m. CST.
-PIONEERS-
