Pecalli Passes 1,500 Career Digs in 3-1 Loss at UTSA

Friday, November 3

San Antonio, Texas

6:00 p.m.

Tulsa

13-13,6-8AAC

UTSA

14-11,7-7AAC

Tulsa

UTSA

Photo by: Dave Crenshaw

Pecalli Passes 1,500 Career Digs in 3-1 Loss at UTSA

11/3/2023 9:15:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

BOX SCORE (PDF) | SEASON STATS

SAN ANTONIO, Texas. — Junior libero Marta Pecalli recorded a team-leading 13 digs in Tulsa's 3-1 loss (11-25, 27-25, 15-25, 14-25) to UTSA Friday night in San Antonio to eclipse the 1,500-career dig mark. She is only the fifth Golden Hurricane in program history to accomplish the feat.

Through 331 sets across 87 total matches in three seasons, Pecalli has been a consistent performer for the Hurricane. Now at 396 digs this season, she has a shot to finish the season with over 500 digs for a third consecutive year.

Friday's loss drops the Golden Hurricane to 13-13 overall and 6-8 in American Athletic Conference play, while the Roadrunners pick up their sixth win in a row to move to 14-11 and 7-7 in league action.

The battle between each team's front row was a key factor in the match. Tulsa committed 30 attack errors on the night, 17 of which were forced by UTSA blocks. The Hurricane's .233 hitting percentage in its 27-25 second-set win was TU's only set with a positive attack average.

Graduate outside hitter Kayley Cassaday led the team with 16 kills, while Avery Kalsu recorded 25 assists in setting up seven different Tulsa attackers.

A pair of sophomores led the Hurricane in blocks. Right side hitter Jolana Smidlova had Tulsa's only block solo to go with two block assists, while middle blocker Arianna Mongare knocked down three block assists.

Tulsa will resume the series with UTSA tomorrow at 2 p.m.

Game Notes
» Marta Pecalli passed the 1,500-career dig mark with 13 digs on the night … She has now recorded double-digit digs in each of the last six matches.
» Kayley Cassaday led the court with 16 kills.
» Arianna Mongare tied her career high in service aces (3).
» UTSA won the blocking battle 17-5
» Tulsa falls to 2-7 against AAC West Division foes.

How It Happened

SET 1 | UTSA scored the first point and never looked back on the way to taking the first set 25-11 to score the first match point. 16 of the Roadrunners' points came from kills while Tulsa was held to a match-low -.071 hitting percentage.

SET 2 | Tulsa responded in the second set with a narrow 27-25 finish to knot up the score at one game apiece. Both teams fought through six tie scores and five lead changes, all in the second half of the stanza. Tulsa had a .233 clip to come out on top.

SET 3 | The Hurricane couldn't keep the momentum going into set three as the Roadrunners forced eight attack errors and allowed only seven kills by Tulsa in the set. Both Lauren Eitler and Marta Pecalli had four digs in the stanza. UTSA led by as many as nine points to close out the set 25-15 to go up 2-1.

SET 4 | UTSA kept its foot on the gas in the fourth and final set of the match, finishing 25-14 to seal the match at 3-1. Tulsa committed 11 attack errors in the set. The Roadrunners had five blocks in the set and knocked away 12 kills with only one error to finish the match.

Tulsa   11        27        15        14
UTSA   25        25        25        25