Disappointing Conclusion

It was a rough end to the 2025 volleyball season for the UT Arlington Mavericks as the team dropped the last three matches of the schedule, losing on senior day to the Utah Valley Wolverines, 0-3, to the last-place Southern Utah Thunderbirds 1-3 and to the Utah Tech Trailblazers, 0-3.

To briefly recap, the Mavs scored 20 or more in each set loss to UVU. I was really impressed with the way they hung in there to the more imposing front line of UVU. They found ways to make their offense work, but were just overpowered in the end. 

They scored 21 and 20 in the first two sets against SUU, before claiming a 25-18 set three win. In the fourth, they only notched 19. That was the most disappointing loss of the three, and was the first all-time to the Thunderbirds. It almost appeared like they were looking ahead.

Against UT, it looked like the Trailblazers clearly remembered UTA won in Arlington (which cost them an outright conference title), as they allowed the Mavericks only 16, 18 and 19 in the three sets. It was less of what UTA did or didn't do, but more that UT was not going to let senior day slip away.

Those losses stretched the Mav losing streak to five in a row and nine of the last 11 matches. After a good, but not great, start in the non-conference portion, UTA has really struggled in a watered-down Western Athletic Conference. They sport an 11-13 record overall, with a paltry 3-9 conference mark.

And when I say watered down, UTA was the only school in the WAC to win a conference championship to start the year. UVU won two Great West titles, but it did not meet NCAA criteria for a full-flegded conference and they were unable to send anyone to the NCAA tourney in any sport.

UTA is still the only program in the lineup to win one outright as UVU and UT tied for the top spot. Only one WAC team is in the NCAA Division I RPI ranking top 100 as UT squeaked in there at 96 after they had a really good November. UVU has been hanging in the mid-100's most of the conference season, currently at 145. The rest of the WAC is not in the top 200. 

But there are three schools in the top 100 that were WAC schools two seasons ago: Stephen F Austin (73), UT Rio Grand Valley (81) and Grand Canyon (72). On the surface, UTA had an easier path than in previous seasons but recorded the fewest wins since 2012. It is the worst conference mark since 2008.

I don't think anyone expected a repeat of last year. But to go .250 in WAC play with losses to every team was not on the bingo card for most people looking at the equation. After an undefeated home slate in 2024, the Mavs went .500 at College Park Center this year. Again, not on the bingo card. 

Some of the losing streak also has the appearance of discontent within the team. I'm not sure if that is the case or not but when you have good players who can't seem to get over the hump, it gives that appearance.

However, there have been bright spots. 

Junior libero Samantha Glenn leads the WAC in digs per set at 4.18 and is second in total digs with 422. Junior setter Mira Ledermueller is first in assists (896) and assists per set (9.05). She bests second place's 7.89 by a full assist. Senior outside hitter Jalie Tritt is second in the conference in kills with an even 300, fifth in kills per set at 3.09.  The Mavs occupy first, two are tied for second, sixth and seventh place in aces among all WAC players. Only Utah Valley place multiple players on the roster in that category, and it is just two.

The big drawback is in the category of blocks. Freshman middle blocker Sophia Krichev led the team with 67 combined blocks, 15 of them solo. That comes to .81 blocks per set. The WAC leader is UVU's Bella Wooden. The senior middle blocker had 167 total, translating to 1.88 a set. The tenth place in the conference notched 82 blocks total, .89 per set. Abilene Christian and Southern Utah also did not have a top ten blocker. UVU, UT and Tarleton State had three in the top ten. Those are also the three top schools. 

It would also help if UTA could give Glenn some help defensively. UTA's setter is second in digs, but if you double her 188, she is still second. That is partially Glenn's doing as she was getting so many, but it also means the others were not. It's also not great that second is the setter. That mean 188 times, the offense was not directed through her. That's why Glenn was second in assists with 60.

That same situation doesn't quite equate offensively, where only one Mav was in the top ten in kills. Tritt may have been the primary weapon, but four other Mavs grabbed 150 or more kills for the regular season. That is right around two kills per set played.

The conference tournament starts Thursday and by virtue of their fifth seed, UTA drew the hosts in Abilene Christian. Other than the two co-champions, I don't think there is a team in the tournament that UTA isn't an even match with. They can defeat anyone else in the field. But they won't be the favorites in any match.

It does seem like another bad luck draw for UTA getting the hosts however. But, UTA played better overall against ACU there than they did in CPC.

First serve is set in Abilene at 7 pm.