UTB-TSC Capsules: Scorpions capture third straight RRAC volleyball championship

The third was tough, but it was still a charm.

No. 2 University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College won its third straight Red River Athletic Conference volleyball championship in a hard-fought 3-1 win over Wiley College on Saturday at Manuel Garza B. Gymnasium.

The final scores were 25-18, 17-25, 25-20, 25-23. The fourth set was a nail-biter, but UTB-TSC avoided a fifth set.

UTB-TSC (26-2) will get an automatic bid to the NAIA women's volleyball national championship tournament Nov. 29 through Dec. 3 in Sioux City, Iowa. Because the Scorpions are ranked among the top 12 teams in the nation, they do not have to play in opening round matches Nov. 19.

"I thought we got a great team effort this weekend everybody contributed all weekend long," Scorpions coach Todd Lowery said. "We played with several different rotations this weekend and both were effective for the team we were playing. Wiley is a very good team with a lot of offense if you make mistakes they make you pay for them."

Outside hitter Vanja Joksic was named the tournament's most valuable player. Also named to the all-tournament team were Scorpions Amber Brooks and Ana Guerra.

UTB-TSC stepped it up a notch on the defensive front, but committed 20 attack errors and 15 service errors.

Guerra had a big day on both ends. She had 13 kills on 21 swings with only one error for a .571 attack percentage. She also had 10 blocks -- three solo and seven assisted.

Danica Markovic had 16 kills on 34 swings with three errors for a .353 attack percentage. Joksic hit 10-for-19 with three errors for a .368 percentage.

Amber Brooks had 50 assists -- a season-high in assists for a four-set match. She also had three service aces and continues to lead the NAIA in that category with an average of 0.8 aces per set.

Paula Barros had 22 digs and Yenifer Calcano 10.

"I think the girls did a good job and at taking care of the task at hand which was to win the conference tournament and qualify for nationals." Lowery said. "Now we have to go to nationals and step up the level of our play again.

Women's Soccer

Scorpions blank Northwood to win conference championship

FORT WORTH - The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College continued its torrid women's soccer streak with a 3-0 victory over Northwood University in the Red River Athletic Conference women's soccer championship game Saturday night at Martin Field.

UTB-TSC (17-2-1) has a 14-game winning streak and 13 shutouts, including six straight.

The Scorpions get an automatic berth in the opening round of the NAIA women's soccer national championships Nov. 19. Pairings for the tournament will be announced at about 6 p.m. Sunday. There is a slim possibility that UTB-TSC could play the game at home.

Isadora Freitas scored a goal after a free kick from Leah Russell to start the scoring in the 19th minute in the first half. The score remained 1-0 at halftime.

In the 65th minute, or about 20 minutes into the second half, Laura Luis scored from the top of the box with an assist from Russell to make it 2-0. Only six minutes later, the Scorpions made it 3-0 on a shot by Helen Wagstaff from the far right wing.

The Scorpions had a 13-8 advantage on shots on goal.

UTB-TSC came into the tournament as the No. 1 seed in the six-team field after the Scorpions went 9-0 in conference games. Northwood, the No. 5 seed, upset No. 2 seed Our Lady of the Lake University in the semifinals Friday.

-- UTB-TSC Services

Men's Soccer

Huston-Tillotson ends UTB-TSC's conference title streak

CEDAR HILL - Huston-Tillotson University made it official Saturday. The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College men's soccer dynasty has been stopped.

A goal very early in the second half was the only one of the game as the Rams knocked off the Scorpions 1-0 in the Red River Athletic Conference men's soccer championship Saturday at Knights' Field on the campus of Northwood University.

There was a bright spot for the Scorpions. Because the RRAC men's soccer league had 12 teams, two teams advance to the opening round of the NAIA national championships Nov. 19. Both UTB-TSC and HTU qualified and will find out by 6 p.m. Sunday who and where they will play when the NAIA announces the tournament pairings.

UTB-TSC won four straight RRAC championships from 2007 to 2010, not losing a conference game during that stretch. During 2011, a 34-game winning streak ended in a 1-1 tie against Texas Wesleyan, and a 37-game unbeaten streak ended in a 3-1 loss to Huston-Tillotson Oct. 28.

Prior to the Scorpions joining the RRAC, Huston-Tillotson was the last team to win the conference championship in 2006.

HTU will go into the national tournament with a 16-2-1 record while UTB-TSC's season continues with a 13-5-2 record.

"Give credit to HTU, because they beat us twice and proved to be the best side in the conference," Scorpions coach Dan Balaguero said. "It was an even game that could have gone either way. It was disappointing to lose on a goal that we should have dealt with. We played well for periods of the game."

After a scoreless first half, HTU cracked the scoreboard with the long 40-yard goal less than one minute into the second half. The Scorpions were outshot 16-9 and trailed 7-5 in shots on goal. Scorpions goalkeeper Michael Argumedo had six saves.

Friday's 3-2 overtime semifinal win over University of St. Thomas vaulted UTB-TSC into the postseason, where it has yet to get past the opening round of the NAIA national championships three straight years.

"We are excited to continue to be playing," Balaguero said.

-- UTB-TSC Services