Box Score

HAMMOND, Louisiana – The University of Texas-Pan American Broncs volleyball team fell to the Weber State University Wildcats 3-1 in their final match of the 2012 Tangi Tourism Lion Classic on Saturday at the University Center on the campus of Southeastern Louisiana University.
 
The first set was a tight back and forth affair. With the match tied at 6-6, the Broncs (2-9) scored four-straight points, capped by a service ace from Nycole Masaki, to take their largest lead at four points. The Wildcats (6-5) came back to tie the set at 13-13 on a kill by Rebecca Fuchs, and the teams again started trading points. The Wildcats took their largest leads at 20-17 and again at 22-19. The Broncs came back to tie it up at 22-22, but a bad set and an attack error by Haley Durham gave the Wildcats set point. The Broncs responded with kills by Masaki and Diara Reynolds to keep the match going. It took three set points before the Wildcats won the set, 27-25, on a kill by Audrey Gee.
 
The Wildcats started the second set with two service aces by Piper Wahlin while jumping out to a 6-1 lead. The Broncs got as close as 11-10 on a kill by Durham and 12-11 after an attack error by Audrey Biggs, but the Wildcats scored the next four point to pull away for a 25-18 victory.
 
The third set stayed close until it was tied at 16-16. A Reynolds kill gave the Broncs the lead, and then Reynolds took over serving, during which time Fuchs made five attack errors as the Broncs built a 23-16 lead before winning 25-21.
 
The Broncs were within 11-10 in the fourth set after a kill by Krysta Freitas, but a pair of attack errors, a kill by Fuchs and a service ace by Wahlin allowed the Wildcats to build a 15-10 lead. The Broncs made one final push, pulling within 21-19 after a 4-0 run, but the Wildcats held on for a 25-20 victory.
 
Freitas led the Broncs with eight kills to go with 10 digs, four assists and two blocks. Durham, Reynolds and Michelle McNamee were next with seven kills each. Durham also recorded a career-high and match-high seven blocks. Masaki had a team-high 27 assists while Juri Franzen had a team-high 20 digs.
 
Three players reached double-figures in kills for the Wildcats, led by Briana Wilms, who had 16 kills with no errors on 25 attacks for a match-high .640 hitting percentage. Fuchs finished with 15 kills and nine digs while Mariah Katoa had 11 kills. Caitlin Penrod had a match-high 40 assists while Laurel Bodily had a match-high 22 digs.
 
The Broncs return home to face Texas Southern on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at the UTPA Fieldhouse. Doors open at 5:30.
 
The University of Texas-Pan American Department of Intercollegiate Athletics competes at the NCAA Division I level. UTPA, formerly known as Pan American College and Pan American University, is a part of the University of Texas System of Schools. The Broncs compete in 14 varsity sports: men's and women's basketball, golf, tennis, track and field, and cross country, along with women's volleyball and men's baseball. The Broncs have won six team national championships, including the 1963 NAIA Championship in men's basketball and every NAIA Championship in men's tennis from 1961 through 1965. The Broncs also have also won 10 individual national championships, all in men's tennis, with six NAIA doubles championships and four NAIA singles championships. UTPA has been a member of the all-sports division of the Great West Conference since 2009-10.