Box Score SAN ANGELO, Texas – St. Edward's volleyball continued their outstanding play Thursday, defeating UT Tyler in the quarterfinals 3-2.
 
SEU was on a mission early, jumping out to an 8-1 lead over the Patriots. The stunned UTT squad was never able to recover as the Hilltoppers continued to extend their lead throughout the set to win in dominant fashion, 25-14.
 
UT Tyler came out swinging in the second set and the score remained tight until KAITLYN KRAFKA got hot and fired off kill after kill to put SEU up 18-11. The Patriots tried to get back in the match but the Hilltopper lead was just too much as SEU won set two 25-20.
 
Feeling their backs against the wall, the Patriots started to fight back and built a six point lead, 12-6, in the third set. St. Edward's struggled to find their rhythm that had worked so well for them throughout the afternoon, eventually dropping the third set 25-16.
 
UT Tyler went up by five points early, 9-4, but St. Edward's refused to back down and evened the score 14-14 on a CAROLINE SWAN kill. JILLIENNE CONNELL's kill gave SEU the lead for the first time since the opening points, 17-16, and the match continued go back and forth the rest of the way. UTT eventually took the set, 26-24, to force a fifth and final set.
 
An early three point advantage proved to be enough as the Hilltoppers closed out the set 15-9 for the match win. Two kills followed by a block by HALLE SANDERS and MAYA SMALLS put the exclamation point on the match, securing the win.
 
St. Edward's posted a .200 attack percentage in the win. CAROLINE SWAN led with 15 kills with Krafka and HALLE SANDERS adding 14 each. Swan and Smalls had four blocks each while SARAH KONOVODOFF continued her outstanding defensive performance with 24 digs, bested only by EMILY TRAN's 25.
 
The Hilltoppers improve to 15-11 on the season and advance to face #3 seed Lubbock Christian on Friday at 5 pm.