Applause shook throughout Gregory Gymnasium on Thursday night during the Longhorns’ 3-0 victory over UTSA.
The win was the second of the day for No. 3 Texas. Earlier in the afternoon, the Longhorns defeated Lipscomb 3–1 to propel themselves to a 3–1 record of the season.
“We got some good performances today,” head coach Jerritt Elliott said. “I was pleased. They were both two quality teams, and two victories is important.”
The Longhorns started slow in the match again the Roadrunners. UTSA surged to 2-0 leads in the first two sets, causing the Longhorns to play from behind instantly.
The first set remained close with neither team grasping a lead greater than three points. The set was extended, but the Longhorns finally overpowered the Roadrunners with three consecutive kills to seal a 27-25 victory.
Texas jumped out to its largest lead of the contest in the second set while springing to a 17-12 lead over the Roadrunners. Texas’ miscues helped UTSA stay in the set, but the Longhorns survived with a two-point win, 25-23.
“This time of the year is about trying to find your rhythm a little bit,” Elliott said. “It’s not always smooth, but I thought tonight we showed some grit.”
The Longhorns found their groove in the third set. Sophomore middle blocker Morgan Johnson put an exclamation point on the 3–0 sweep with a kill down the sideline — Texas won 25-21.
Freshman outside hitter Micaya White excelled at the net against the Roadrunners. She recorded a team-high 13 kills, complemented by four blocks and four digs.
“I love having [the team’s support],” White said. “They give me so much confidence, just having their experience with me.”
In Thursday’s early match, Texas fought off the Lipscomb team, who was looking for an upset. The Bisons stole a set from Texas in the 3-1 victory. Although Lipscomb only won one set, Longhorns kept the scoreboard close the entire match.
Texas only had a plus-three point differential in the final three sets. Although victorious, the Longhorns recorded fewer kills, assists and digs than the Bisons. But Texas played mistake-free, allowing the team to squeak out the win.
The Longhorns will continue to play in front of their home crowd in the American Campus Classic when they face Army at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
“The student section was great,” Elliott said on playing at Gregory Gym. “We need them to keep coming out and being behind this team. They give us some momentum, and we appreciate all their support and what they can do for our team.”
