ARLINGTON, Texas— Despite placing three players in double figure kills, McNeese volleyball fell in four sets (25-18, 26-28, 25-19, 25-22) to UT-Arlington Friday in its first match of the UTA Invitational.  McNeese will play North Texas at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in its final match of the tournament.
 
"UTA is a really solid team all around," said head coach Sasha Karelov.  "They are really aggressive from the service line, and they forced us out of our normal rhythm.  Kayla (Wilson) played outstanding and carried in all four sets.  We need to be more consistent and composed at the end of matches, we will continue to learn and grow from this."
 
McNeese (2-10) played catch up for most of the match after falling behind early in three of the four sets.  UTA (10-2) ended the match outhitting the Cowgirls with a .324 hitting percent and 65 kills while McNeese hit .270 with 49 kills.
 
Kayla Wilson led McNeese with 17 kills and a .469 hitting percent.  McKenzie Moore added 13 kills and a .417 hitting percent and Sanni Rantanen ended the match with 10 kills and a team high four blocks.
 
Setter Megan Grose recorded a double double by dishing out 44 assists along with 10 digs. Bailey Tillman led all players with 16 digs and Kendall Osgood was credited with three service aces.
 
Set 1
• UTA came out swinging and on fire to win the set and hit .538
• The set was close for the first few points until the Mavericks broke a 6-6 tie by scoring five straight points to lead 11-6 and never looked back
• McNeese got as close as five points late in the set (21-16) following a Kayla Wilson kill
• UTA outscored McNeese 4-2 to rest of the set to pick up the 25-18 win
 
Set 2
• McNeese took an early 9-7 lead, but UTA went on a run to tie the set at 12 apiece.  Four straight points by UTA gave the Mavericks a 16-12 lead. 
• McNeese pulled to within one point 16-15 on a kill by Sanni Rantanen, a block assists by Rantanen and Megan Grose and a UTA error
• Three straight points by UTA extended the lead to 19-15
• McNeese rallied to tie the set at 22 apiece with a 7-3 run behind the serve of Rantanen
• UTA scored the next two points out of a timeout to take a 24-22 lead
• With the score tied at 26, back-to-back kills by McKenzie Moore gave McNeese the 28-26 win to even the match at one set apiece
• The set loss for UTA was the first time they lose a set at home this season
 
Set 3
• UTA opened the set by scoring the first three points, but the Cowgirls score three straight to take an early 5-4 lead
• McNeese rallied to take a 12-10 lead but an 11-3 run by UTA put them up 21-15
• McNeese chipped away and got withing three twice down the stretch, but UTA closed it out with a 25-19 win to take a 2-1 overall match lead   
 
Set 4
• After a 2-2 tie early in the set, UTA scored McNeese 10-7 to lead 12-9
• McNeese rallied to pull to within one point 15-14 on a kill by Kayla Wilson
• Following a media timeout, McNeese rallied to take a 17-16 lead
• The set tied three more times before UTA took a 21-19 lead, but McNeese fought back to tie the set at 21 on another Wilson kill
• Following a UTA timeout, the Mavericks scored the next two point off kills by Jailie Tritt to lead 23-21before eventually winning the set 25-22 to win the match
 
NOTES
• It was the second four set match for McNeese this season
• McNeese handed UTA its first set loss at home this season with a 28-26 win in the second set
• Kayla Wilson was one of three players to record double figure kills, leading McNeese with 17 and ended the match with a single match high .469 hitting percent
• McKenzie Moore added 13 kills for her sixth match of the season with 10 or more
• Sanni Rantanen chipped in with 10 kills, the fourth time this season she records 10 or more kills
• Megan Grose collected her second double double of the season with 44 assists and 10 digs
• Bailey Tillman led all players with 16 digs for her fourth match this season with 10 or more assists