DENTON, Texas — A two-set cushion was not enough for UAB volleyball on Sunday, as North Texas stormed back to win 3-2 at its home gym in Denton, Texas.
The Blazers took the opener 25-21 and rolled through the second 25-15. The Mean Green then claimed the next three sets, 25-23, 25-22 and 15-11. UAB is now 9-13 on the season and 3-7 in American Conference matches, while North Texas improved to 11-10 and 4-6.
Early on, UAB looked in full command. Front-row blocks from Addyson Smock and Rachel McCollum set the tone, Mia Reese served two aces, and the Blazers stretched an 11-6 lead in the first set before holding off a late North Texas push.
In set two, a 5-5 score turned into a 13-6 Blazers lead, and Meister put the frame away with a kill for a 2-0 match edge.
The momentum flipped in the third. UAB went ahead 13-10 after a Meister and Smock block, but the hosts reeled off six points in a row. UAB cut it to 24-23 and saved two set points before North Texas finished it. The Mean Green then jumped to a 10-3 start in the fourth, and a late Blazers rally fell short.
UAB scored the first three points of the deciding set, yet North Texas went in front 7-5 and pushed the margin to 12-7. Three straight aces from Ryann Vik fueled that run.
Meister finished with 17 kills, a career best, on .500 hitting, and Reese chipped in 15 kills. McCollum set up the offense with 49 assists, the most by any player in the match, and also posted seven blocks. Smock was a wall at the net with nine blocks, a personal high.
For North Texas, Lillian Croshaw had 15 kills and setter Sidney Soria logged 45 assists, a career high. The Mean Green totaled 67 kills.
UAB comes back to the Birmingham area next Friday, Oct. 30, to face Charlotte at Hoover High School, with first serve at 6:30 p.m.
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