Still Streaking

At the start of the 2025 volleyball season, the UT Arlington program was coming off one of the best seasons in program history and by pure winning percentage, THE best season. At 29-3, UTA lost to two ranked teams and the American Athletic Conference's runner-up. At 16-0, it was the first undefeated conference run since 1992, and the only undefeated conference mark that played double-digit games in loop play.

One would have to go back to September 20th of last year to find the last regular season loss to this point in the 2025 season. Just FYI, between a funeral in California, a new work schedule and transcribing the interview with Athletic Director Jon Fagg, I just didn't have enough hours in the day to cover the first volleyball weekend tournament. So, I'll give my thoughts on it here.

I mentioned in the preseason poll post that the first Mav opponents weren't world-beaters. Quinnipiac was rated highly in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, which isn't a powerhouse league by any stretch (third worst overall conference last year). Western Illinois was picked sixth in the Ohio Valley. The OVC is only rated a few spots higher. Host Bradley's predicted finish in the Missouri Valley isn't available as the conference didn't publish its full list.

As we talk about opening weekend, it is important to remember a win is a win. There are so many new faces that it is possible first-year Head Coach Tania Schatow was trying a combination of different players, they got caught in a funky rotation and were at a disadvantage or some players with their inexperience or different chemistry gave different outputs during certain parts of the matches to this point.

Against Quinnipiac, the Mavs won in four sets. Versus host Bradley, they needed five. What really surprised me was Western Illinois was also five. UTA won all three sets against the Bobcats by two, needing more than 25 in the second set. In the lone set loss, they only scored 12. The Bobcats actually scored more points overall. In what will also be a pattern, UTA notched the first two sets before losing the third and the sweep.

When the Mavs and Braves hit the floor, UTA started rough, losing the first set. They rebounded towards the end, but I thought it was apparent that last year's feat was a flash in the pan. That second set though. It was just the opposite. UTA looked in control and seemed to keep Bradley off balance. The Braves and Mavs went to five sets, where UTA claimed a 15-12 win to take the match.

I really dislike saying it this way, but I can't think of anything better. Western Illinois has been the most disappointing win of the season to this point. When a team is replacing so much experience, talent and production, there really shouldn't be a disappointing win, but given the historical output for both of these teams, I didn't think it would go to five sets. 

UTA won the first two sets handily, allowing 17 in the first and 15 in the second. Remember, this is supposed to be a mid-level team in a lower rated conference. In the third and fourth, UTA lost, but scored the maximum that can be scored in a base set, losing both 23-25. The Mavericks built a 12-7 lead before trading points to a 15-11 fifth set win. 

Freshman Middle Blocker Sophia Krichev was named the MVP of the tournament. The 6'3" middle blocker had 26 kills, two solo block and nine assisted blocks for the weekend. She played in every set along the way.

Junior Setter Mira Ledermueller earned the first Setter of the Week award from the Western Athletic Conference. She tallied 122 assists in three matches, which average out to 8.71 per set. Last years setter Mollie Blank was over ten, but getting to high eights in the first weekend is promising.

Last weekend, the team went to familiar Lake Charles, Louisiana, home to long-time Southland Conference rival McNeese State for the Cowgirl Classic. The Mavs opened up against a different longtime SLC rival, turned Sun Belt rival in Louisiana-Monroe. Mirroring two of the three previous matches, the Mavs won the first two sets, allowing 21 and 13 respectively to the perennial SBC doormats. Also, like the previous two, the Mavs dropped the third set by the bare minimum before claiming the fourth set and the win, 25-21.

The next day, UTA needed five sets to win against the host Cowgirls. The same formula from four of the previous five matches applied here as UTA moved to a 2-0 lead, but allowed McNeese to claim the next two before claiming the fifth set for the win. With scores of 25-23, 25-13, 19-25. 20-15 and 15-6, the Mavericks are proving that they can win, but may be beatable as the season wears on.

The final day of the tournament saw UTA take on the Alcorn Braves. The Mavs won in a sweep allowing the Braves to notch 16, 20 and 13 in the match. The win moved UTA to its current 6-0 record for the year.

Outside Hitters Camryn McMinn, freshman, and Jalie Tritt, senior, earned a spot on the Cowgirl Classic all-tournament team. McMinn logged 36 kills, 17 digs and three assisted blocks in the three matches. Tritt contributed 39 kills, 15 digs and seven service aces. for the weekend.

While it hasn't been pretty, UTA hasn't lost in the regular season since September 20, 2024. Last year was had the most wins since 1989. It had the most conference wins since 2002's squad grabbed 18. It was the best conference winning percentage for any team with double digit conference games and the first undefeated conference mark since 1992. It was the best all-time winning percentage ever. Those are hard shoes to fill. 

I mentioned they have won the first two sets five times in six tries. There has been only one sweep. Many times over the years in the Maverick Rambler, I have noticed the lack of consistency set-to-set. That really was muted last year. In the end, a win is a win, but it will be something to watch as the season progresses. 2024 set the bar high.

There's no clear Grand Canyon to compliment UTA like last year. Those teams were clearly the class of the WAC. The Utah Tech and Utah Valley can make legitimate claims for the top spot and I never rule out California Baptist. The consistency will be needed as the season progress and this team gets more sets under their belt.

The home opener is nigh as UTA will take part in the UNT-UTA Invitational. The Mavs have three matches a day starting tomorrow. 1-7 Northwestern State will lineup opposite the Mavs at 5 pm in Denton, Texas at the UNT Volleyball Center.

Little Rock comes to College Park Center for the home opener on Saturday for a 5 pm start. The Trojans are 2-4 on the year. They lost to North Texas earlier in the year in four sets and have played one of the harder schedules to this point of any UTA opponent.

The headliner comes Sunday at 5 pm in College Park Center. The North Texas Eagles, always a rival regardless of sport, will close the Invitational. UNT is 4-2 on the year with a schedule a bit harder than Little Rock.

UTA is 55-11 all-time versus UNT. The Mavs won the first 48 in the series. Not a typo. The first 48. Obviously, doing the math, UTA is 7-11 since the last win in that stretch. UTA did beat UNT in 2023 in a sweep and did not play last year. Prior to the 2023 win, UTA lost seven of the last eight matches. It would be nice to start another streak.

Either way, we'll have a better clue about this team after the coming week.