COMMERCE, Texas — The volleyball team saw its postseason come to an end on Friday afternoon, falling 3–0 (25–15, 25–22, 25–13) to second-seeded UT Rio Grande Valley in the opening round of the Southland Conference Tournament at the Field House.

UTRGV (21–7, 15–1 SLC) entered the match on a 14-match winning streak and used a balanced, efficient attack throughout the afternoon. The Vaqueros totaled 41 kills on .282 hitting, led by Dimitra Nanou with 12 kills and two aces. Martina Franco and Valentina Sarti Cipriani added eight kills each, while setter Isabella Costantini guided the offense with 35 assists and 10 digs.

HCU (12–18, 7–9 SLC) was paced by Taylor Bonner-Williams and Joya Euhus, who each finished with seven kills. Bianca Byerly anchored the back row with 14 digs, marking her 20th match this season with double-digit digs. Freshman setter Chloe Richards finished with 24 assists and seven digs, while Jade Smith led the defense at the net with three blocks. Cassidy Drapela added five kills and contributed on both sides of the ball.

The Huskies had their strongest stretch in the second set, where they erased an early deficit and pulled within one late, trailing just 23–22 after a kill from Bonner-Williams. UTRGV responded with the final two points of the frame, regaining momentum and using a strong serving and blocking presence to control the third set.

Despite the loss, HCU's defense kept rallies alive throughout the afternoon, finishing with 44 digs and six blocks. Byerly, Richards, and Euhus combined for 29 digs, while Smith, Allana Archie, and Katy Barger contributed at the net.