Mustangs Wrangle 3-1 Win Over Spartans

DENVER - The No. 1 University of Tampa volleyball team dropped its second contest of the day to No. 2 Southwest Minnesota State by a 3-1 final score to close out the Colorado Premier Challenge, Saturday.

The Spartans fall to 5-3 on the season and finish fourth in the tournament while the Mustangs improve to 7-1 and conclude the challenge as the third-place squad. Tampa has not lost more than two matches in a season since 2012.

The four-set match was broadcasted live via ESPN3 and represents the first time any UT athletics team has been featured on ESPN.

UT totaled 18 team blocks, a feat it had not accomplished since the 2012 Colorado Premier Challenge, facing Regis in a four-set match on Sept. 8. Senior Jessica Wagner was the catalyst at the net, blocking nine Mustang attacks for the team lead.

Seniors Marissa Lisenbee and Megan Heffron added five and four blocks, respectively, as the latter tallied a career-high while also picking up two key solo blocks.

Senior Berkley Whaley recorded her 1000th career kill after grounding 17 across the four-set contest. The outside hitter becomes the 18th Spartan to reach their millennial kill and did so in three seasons.

Lisenbee spun a double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs for Tampa, setting a new career-mark in digs.

SMSU had four athletes reach double-digit kills, highlighted by a 21-kill effort from Abbey Thissen. Middle blocker Eisha Oden followed with 15 kills at a .367 clip.

UT will open up Sunshine State Conference play with a 7 p.m. road contest against Saint Leo University on Sept. 15. Live stats as well as a live video webcast will be made available through www.tampaspartans.com.

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