Daniela Chapa-Reyes 
Draya Rios/THE RIDER
With only one conference loss this fall season, the UTRGV Volleyball Team (15-7, 10-1 SLC) seeks to continue its performance.
When faced up against Nicholls State University (11-12,1-9) on Oct. 25, the team won 3-0 to close out the night. The team then went on to beat Texas A&M University Corpus Christi 3-1 Thursday night during the South Texas Showdown. After the match, the team was able to mark their ninth-game winning streak.
The Vaqueros will have faced the Islanders again away at Corpus Christi. As of press time Friday, score for this game is unavailable.
Head coach Todd Lowery said the previous week was a good refocus for them.
“We really talked about not just winning games,” Lowery said. “Our ultimate goal is to be playing our best volleyball in November and how we continue to improve every week and how we take every match as a chance to improve.”
He said the turning point that sparked the momentum for the streak was getting the team in rhythm and the loss against Stephen F. Austin State University on Sept. 27.
“We had nine new players on the roster; it takes time to get used to each other and figure each other out,” Lowery said. “The loss at SFA may be the turning point. They felt like they really competed, and they played really high-level volleyball. We took a loss there, and it wasn’t a loss that was like, ‘Ugh, we almost had it.’ It was more of a loss where we don’t want this to happen again.”
Junior middle blocker and Harlingen-native Julianna Bryant is making a comeback after having missed the previous season due to an injury with only seven games played. Bryant said she cannot describe the feeling of being back.
“It is just amazing to be back on the court and being able to play,” she said. “There is [really] no word or actual feeling for how it feels to be back on the court; it is just absolutely amazing being able to play in front of our community.”
With regard to the ongoing streak, Bryant said the vibes are “better than anyone else’s locker room.”
“We are on top of the world,” she said. “We lost a little short to SFA, but that was just an eye opener of what our team can bring to the table and how there is never an end for us.”
During the game against Nicholls, Bryant marked a total of 12 kills, with her highest this season being 16 when facing the University of New Orleans. She said having a smile on her face brings the energy the team needs.
“We really don’t need my 12 kills or my career high of 16 kills,” Bryant said. “As long as I am able to go help somewhere, if that means I am just getting touches but no blocks … at least I am helping the defense get better, so we can have an offensive response.”
Junior setter Isabella Costantini marked 35 assists during the game against Nicholls, with a high of 61 against Southeastern Louisiana University. Costantini said having hitters available has helped.
“As a setter, my work is just seeing with my hitters, so I shout out to them because, if it wasn’t for them, I would not be able to get as many assists,” she said. “It is really good to have that availability and have that switch. That way, they give me a bunch of options to just play them around like a game of chess and make our team flow as one.”
Lowery said the team has had a lot of self reflection throughout the last couple of games.
“That is what sports is about and college athletics is about,” he said. “It is an opportunity for them to grow as people and not just get wins. The volleyball team is growing as teammates and growing as young people.”
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