The UTRGV Women’s Volleyball Team swept Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi tonight, 3-0, in the second matchup of the South Texas Showdown, which took place in the Fieldhouse.
Although the Vaqueras picked up a win for the night, it was middle blocker Alexandra Ecker who accomplished something greater.
Ecker broke the UTRGV volleyball program record for total blocks, 343.
Haley Durham held the previous record with 341 blocks back in 2012-2015.
Asked how one accomplishes such an achievement, Ecker said it was primarily due to her work ethic.
“I don’t know, I guess hard work and coming every day, working hard and doing what I am supposed to do,” she said.
On Aug. 28, the Vaqueras defeated the Islanders 3-2 at Corpus Christi, but this time the team was looking for a home-court victory.
UTRGV opened the game by scoring the first point of the set. After the first point, it was a continuous battle as both teams kept a tie up until UTRGV broke off with the biggest lead of the night 19-10.
From that point on, the Islanders scored only five more points as the Vaqueras scored six additional points to lead UTRGV to a 25-15 victory in the first set.
The start of the second set rolled around and both teams remained at a constant tie. The set was a close one for UTRGV, but the Vaqueras came out victorious with a score of 25-22.
In the third set, the Vaqueras came out looking to seal the game. Halfway through the third set, UTRGV led the Islanders 13-9. The set would end in favor of the Vaqueras, 25-19, resulting in a 3-0 victory for UTRGV.
Leading the team in kills was right side hitter Barbara Silva, who had 15 kills and 10 digs. Outside hitter Ragni Steen Knudsen posted 11 kills and eight digs.
Gysell Zayas was recently named WAC Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week and lived up to her award as she led UTRGV in total number of digs with 25.
Head Coach Todd Lowery said the difference between the first matchup against TAMUCC and tonight had a lot to do with the home atmosphere.
“One playing in front of this home crowd is awesome, you know,” Lowery said after the game. “Every time we got a little bit tight, the crowd started getting into it. One or two points stretched to four or five. One leads really quick with the crowd behind us.”
The Vaqueras are now 7-4 and will play at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the UTRGV Tournament against Texas Southern University, Texas Tech University and Houston Baptist University.
