Raiders beat UTRGV after dropping 2 sets
The Vaqueros lost 3-2. Abigail Ollave/THE RIDER
The UTRGV Volleyball Team fell 3-2 in heartbreaking fashion in its home opener tonight against the Texas Tech University Red Raiders in front of a crowd of 2,771 at the UTRGV Fieldhouse on the Edinburg campus.
The Vaqueros fall to 4-3 overall on the season with the loss, while the Raiders, who came into the match undefeated vs. UTRGV (11-0 previous), improve to 6-1.
UTRGV Volleyball head coach Todd Lowery said at a news conference after the game that although the team fought well, they “still got work to do.”
“I thought they did a good job just fighting,” Lowery said. “It shows what this team is capable of. … If we’re gonna beat a big team, you gotta be in really really good condition if you’re gonna go five.”
Senior outside hitter Claudia Lupescu had a performance to remember, tallying 25 kills and 13 digs on .322 hitting. In the postgame news conference, she praised the team’s efforts in aiding her performance.
“It started with the whole team, it’s not just me,” Lupescu said. “Everything was just perfect, was working good. Our mentality was good, and we were just passing really well. So, that opened a lot of spots for me.”
Lowery praised Lupescu’s performance in the postgame news conference, saying “hats off for her and the work that she’s done.”
The Vaqueros put together a 3-0 run to begin the first set. However, the Raiders promptly tied it up. This began an intense affair, with the lead not growing to more than three points for either team.
Ultimately, Lupescu decided the outcome of the set by netting three straight points to bring it to 24-20. Senior right-side hitter Perris Key netted the kill to end the first set 25-21.
Texas Tech got off to a hot start in the second set. However, UTRGV kept the lead to no greater than three. The Vaqueros came back from down to tie it up at 24. Lupescu’s ace secured the second set win for UTRGV.
After beginning the third set with a 3-3 tie, the Raiders then went on a run to take a 17-11 lead. After the Vaqueros made a run of their own to make it 22-19, they ultimately dropped it 25-21.
The fourth set began the same way as the third, with a 3-3 tie. Texas Tech then took over the set, with their largest lead being 16-9. The Raiders ultimately took the set 25-23 to tie the game at two sets apiece.
In the fifth and final set, the Raiders got out to a 8-1 lead. Although the Vaqueros went on a run to bring it close, they ultimately dropped the set 15-11 to secure a 3-2 comeback victory for Texas Tech.
The Vaqueros play their next home game at 6:30 p.m. Friday against the University of San Francisco Dons. The game will be on ESPN+ for U.S. viewers and on Southland International for those abroad.
Vaqueros senior outside hitter Claudia Lupescu attacks against Raiders graduate student right-side hitter Emily Merrick (left) and graduate student middle blocker Aliyah McDonald during tonight’s game in the UTRGV Fieldhouse on the Edinburg campus. The first home game of the season drew 2,771 attendees. The Vaqueros lost 3-2. Abigail Ollave/THE RIDER
