UTPB outside hitter Aquincia Strambler was smiling several times before she leaped to attack a set by a teammate Tuesday against St. Mary’s University.
More often than not, her teammates were smiling when the ball hit the floor or caromed off the Rattlers’ block time and again.
There were not a lot of smiles on the faces of the visitors from San Antonio.
Strambler had a match-high 15 kills and Maycee Barker added 10 as the Falcons defeated St. Mary’s 25-23, 25-15, 25-20 in a first-round match of the Lone Star Conference Tournament at the Falcon Dome.
Setter Analise Lucio had 32 assists and 15 digs, with Ericka Lozano (13 digs), Daylee Doggett (12 digs) and Isela Murillo (10 digs) adding to the defense.
Lozano and Lucio each had three aces, as well, as the Falcons served nearly 90 percent on the night.
UTPB (17-10) advanced to the second round to face top-seeded Angelo State Thursday at the Junell Center in San Angelo.
Julia Aleman had 12 kids to lead St. Mary’s (14-12), with Cali Nims finishing with 18 assists. The Rattlers had stretched UTPB to five sets in the previous meeting this season at the Falcon Dome.
UTPB came into the match riding the high of a five-set victory against 13th-ranked UT Tyler on Saturday to close out the regular season, winning the final three sets of the match.
That confidence had the Falcons composed as they traded points throughout the first set before Murillo, who finished with seven kills, was able to end the set in the UTPB’s favor with a swing from the back row.
“That’s something that we’ve been working on, getting our back row going faster and it’s been a nice weapon for us the last few weeks,” UTPB head coach Tim Loesch said. “We’ve kind of solidified our lineup now.
“I think we played smoother and more composed and less silly errors. We were just pretty sharp.”
After the touch-and-go first set, the Falcons methodically pulled away in the second set, opening early leads of 8-4 and 12-5 before Lucio stepped to the back line and served five straight points to push the lead to 19-7 courtesy of a kill by Strambler.
More smiles from the Falcons and Falcons’ fans in the stands.
So dominant on the left side was Strambler that on one kill, she hit the ball down inside the 10-foot line on the Rattlers’ side of the court.
“After four years of growing together, that’s what’s expected from both of us,” Lucio said of her connection with Strambler.
“I feel like it was kind of scary how composed we were, I feel like we were getting a little complacent knowing that we beat UT Tyler coming from two down. I was like we can’t let go, we can’t settle, just make sure to let them know that.”
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UTPB def. St. Mary’s
25-23, 25-15, 25-20
At UTPB Falcon Dome
Kills — St. Mary’s: Julia Aleman 12, Rachel McDonald 7, Alissa Tolbert 6, Lindsey Ogle 5, Meghan Stiefer 3, Julie Deais 2, Cali Nims 1. UTPB: Aquincia Strambler 15, Maycee Barker 10, Isela Murillo 7, Taurie Magee 4, Chandra Magee 4, Analise Lucio 3.
Blocks — St. Mary’s: Alissa Tolbert .5, Julia Deais .5, Sadie Hough .5, Lindsey Ogle .5. UTPB: Taurie Magee 1.5, Isela Murillo 1, Maycee Barker 1, Chadra Reed 1, Aquincia Strambler 1.
Assists — St. Mary’s: Cali Nims 18, Aislan Lennon 10, Gabi Sandoval 4, Alissa Tolbert 2, Meghan Stiefer 1. UTPB: Analise Lucio 32, Daylee Doggett 4, Chandra Reed 2, Maycee Barker 1, Aquincia Strambler 1.
Digs — St. Mary’s: Gabi Sandoval 16, Nadia Manitzas 10, Alissa Tolbert 10, Cali Nims 9, Aisland Lennons 4, Julia Aleman 2, Julia Deais 1. UTPB: Analise Lucio 15, Erika Lozano 13, Daylee Doggett 12, Isela Murillo 10, Aquincia Strambler 6, Taurie Magee 1, Maycee Barker 1, Chandra Reed 1..
Aces — St. Mary’s: Nadia Manitzas 1, Aislan Lennon 1. UTPB: Ericka Lozano 3, Analise Lucio 3, Dayle Doggett 2, Aquincia Strambler 1.
Records
St. Mary’s 14-12. UTPB 17-11.
