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CHICAGO – Despite senior
Paula Sioto (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Instituto Educacional Raphael Di Santo)'s career-high 26 kills, Chicago State volleyball dropped a Western Athletic Conference contest to the University of Texas Pan-American on Saturday (Oct. 12) 3-2 (24-26, 26-24, 25-17, 19-25, 15-12) at the Jacoby Dickens Center.
The Cougars held leads in all five sets. The two clubs split the opening sets with each team coming from behind to do so. The Cougars trailed set one 23-22 after leading for most of the frame but took back the lead with a 4-1 run to end the set. A kill by freshman
Chinwendu Ngwadom (Raleigh, N.C./Cardinal Gibbons) gave the set to the Cougars.
Chicago State was in position to go up two sets to none when a kill by senior
Rachel Levitt (Willow Springs, Ill./Lyons Township) put Chicago State up 19-15. UTPA asked for time and the break worked for the Broncs. UTPA went on an 11-5 run and won the set 26-24.
The only lead Chicago State held in set three was 3-2. UTPA scored the next four points and cruised from there.
The Cougars used six runs of multiple points in the fourth set to even up the match and two sets apiece. Sioto notched eight kills in the fourth set alone to help the Cougars cruise.
The teams traded points in the fifth until three consecutive Chicago State tallies, capped by a Sioto kill, put Chicago State up 7-5. UTPA asked for time and the Broncs answered with an 8-1 run to go up 13-9. It got tighter down the stretch thanks to a kill by senior
Rachel Levitt (Willow Springs, Ill./Lyons Township), a block and then a kill by Sioto to advance Chicago State within two points at 14-12. However the Cougars' hopes for a late rally were dashed when Alisha Watson delivered a kill for UTPA for point 15.
Sioto added 10 digs with her 36 kills for her fourth career double-double. Junior
Valeria Desiderio (Chicago Heights, Ill./Bloom) also recorded a double-double with 20 digs and 11 kills. Levitt added 10 kills. Senior
Mysta Townsell (Gardnerville, Nev./Douglas) recorded 15 digs. Freshman
Mackenzie Lotter (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) finished with 50 assists, one short of her career best.
Maria Kliefoth had 15 kills for UTPA. She was one of four Broncs with double-digit kills.
UTPA improves to 11-11 (1-5 WAC). Chicago State falls to 2-18 (0-6 WAC). The Cougars continue WAC play on Thursday (Oct. 17) with a visit to Seattle.
