UTRGV volleyball sweeps Montana 3-0

_{Junior redshirt libero Regina Tijerina digs an opposing kill attempt by the Montana Grizzlies earlier today at the UTRGV Tournament in the Fieldhouse on the Edinburg campus. Tijerina tallied 16 digs during the Vaqueras’ 3-0 victory. ABIGAIL OLLAVE/THE RIDER PHOTOS}

The UTRGV Volleyball Team swept Montana University 3-0 (25-17, 25-23, 25-22) in a crowd-pumping game earlier today bringing the Vaqueras record to 8-1 and the Grizzlies to 5-3.

The game was part of the UTRGV Tournament.

The UTRGV Volleyball Team easily won the first set of their hard fought game 25-17 with sophomore labero Luanna Emilliano setting up the team for most of their points.

*_{The UTRGV Volleyball Team and Montana University gather before the start of the UTRGV Tournament earlier today in the Fieldhouse on the Edinburg campus. UTRGV defeated Montana University 3-0.}*

When asked about her dynamic with Emilliano, sophomore outside hitter Claudia Lupescu replied, “I played with her in Brazil for five years straight. And I have confidence in her, she’s [amazing]. I don’t know how to explain about her. And she brings so much confidence [to] everyone.”

This was Lupescu’s first home game of the season.

“Well, I’m feeling great to be able to come back again after I had to sit out,” she said. “So I’m just enjoying [it] right now. And [I’m] just, ready to play.”

The last two sets were head-to-head with each other.

According to junior middle blocker Luisa Silva Dos Santos, “I think they started serving more [aggressively]. And I think they were adjusting a little bit more to the middle of their closing more. But I think that was, like, the only part they were, like, doing during the serves. So it was, kinda difficult, a little bit, for us in the passes. But after the end of the set, we kind of adjusted and everything worked out.”

The second set was neck and neck with each team scoring one after the other, but UTRGV secured the last two points to bring the score to 2-0.

“I think, since the [University of Nevada, Las Vegas] match, the thing they’ve done well is they haven’t panicked,” said Head Coach Ted Lowery. “When it’s tight, they haven’t panicked when their backs [are] against the wall. And I never felt a sense of uneasiness from the court [or] from the bench or anybody tonight, I just felt they felt like they could go out and close it out.”

UTRGV lost a bit of momentum at the beginning of the third set. It quickly became neck and neck once again with the teams trading points, but UTRGV surged ahead with outside hitter Sarah Cruz scoring the game-winning point closing out the game with a 3-0 sweep.

Cruz scored an impressive 13 kills tying her with former outside hitter Marci Logan for 10th place (1,056) in program history.

UTRGV had great support for the game with 1,190 people in attendance.

_{Sophomore outside hitter Claudia Lupescu goes for a kill during UTRGV’s 3-0 sweep against the Montana University Grizzlies earlier today at the Fieldhouse on the Edinburg campus. Lupescu finished with 10 kills, three blocks and five digs.}

“Another awesome crowd, you know, Friday night. And I think [Senior Associate Athletic Director for Communications & Championships] Jonah [Goldberg] told me that it was 12 [or] 1300 again,” Lowery said. “So, you know, the fact that people keep showing up and support [the team] enough. I mean, that’s the biggest thing for us.”

The UTRGV Volleyball Team will once more face off against Prairie View A&M University at 11 a.m and 2:30 p.m. against Montana Saturday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse to finish off the UTRGV Tournament.

For more information visit goutrgv.com.

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