by Don Mooney
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – UNT volleyball won its first-ever match over Memphis 3-1 (17-25, 25-20, 25-15, 25-17) on Sunday at the Larry O. Finch Center. With Sunday’s win, the Mean Green (15-5, 5-3) tied for its second-best start in program history at 15-5, matching the mark from 2012. UNT bested the Tigers (10-13, 1-7) in kills, hitting percentage, assists, service aces, digs and blocks after trailing in all six categories in the first set.
“Today was a really gritty win for us after we obviously didn’t play well in the first set,” head coach Dave Fleming said. “So, we dealt with a little adversity but I think the team responded really well and started making plays to put pressure on Memphis. I’m really proud of them and that is a really good win.”
Sophomore Reagan Bedell paced North Texas with 14 kills as Lilly Croshaw contributed 12 kills and five blocks. Setter Alexa Washington tallied her 10th double-double of the season with 21 assists and 11 digs while adding six kills.
“Today’s matchup took all of us,” Washington said. “We weren’t firing on all cylinders, so it was about finding a way to win and make things work.”
photo by Don Mooney
Memphis opened the first set on a 4-0 run behind kills from Zaniah Hoskins and Janyah Henderson, along with two North Texas attack errors. The Mean Green cut the deficit to 6-4 before the Tigers responded with an 8-0 run to take a commanding 14-4 lead. Jasmyn Tate, Henderson, and Hoskins combined for seven kills in the frame as Memphis claimed the opening set, 25-17.
The Tigers started strong again in the second, jumping out to a 4-1 lead before North Texas rallied with a 5-0 run to pull ahead 6-4. Reagan Bedell and Ryann Vik led the charge during that stretch to shift the momentum. Memphis battled back with kills from Tate, Hoskins, and Brianna Washington, but Bedell, Loredana Fouonji, and Lilly Croshaw helped North Texas close out the set, 25-20, to even the match at one set apiece.
photo by Don Mooney
Memphis continued to fight in the third set, opening with a 7-4 run behind kills from Abigail Schlueter, Henderson, and Hoskins. North Texas responded with a 4-0 spurt to take a 10-8 lead, highlighted by kills from Croshaw and Jahniya Jackson. Tate and Hoskins brought Memphis back within two at 15-13, but the Mean Green closed on a 5-0 run to take the set, 25-15.
In the fourth, Memphis jumped ahead 4-1 before North Texas answered with a 4-0 run of its own. The teams traded points to a 7-7 tie before Jackson sparked a 3-0 run that gave the Mean Green the lead for good. Hoskins, Henderson, Sydney Marshall, and Génesis Rodriguez produced kills in the late stages of the match, but a 5-0 North Texas run extended its lead to 23-15. A Memphis attack error followed by a Bedell kill sealed the match for North Texas, 25-17.