University of North Texas
5-8,2-0AAC
Tulane
8-6,0-2AAC
Volleyball Sweeps Tulane
9/29/2024 5:04:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
UNT remains undefeated in AAC play
DENTON, Texas – Mean Green volleyball collected its third-consecutive win with a 3-0 sweep over Tulane at the UNT Volleyball Center on Sunday.
"I thought we played very well," head coach Kristee Porter said. "Tulane is a tough team, and they have been great all year long. So, for us to come out and win it in three [sets], I knew it would be a battle, but … I'm really proud of the way our team performed."
UNT (5-8, 2-0) exit the opening weekend of American Athletic Conference play as one of five undefeated teams in the league after its third sweep (25-15, 25-22, 25,18) of the season on Sunday. The Mean Green held Tulane (8-6, 0-2) to 24 kills and a .117 hitting percentage, the third- and fourth-lowest marks for an opponent this season.
Junior Paige Mooney led the match with a career-high 18 digs while she added six assists and one ace. Since she made her UNT debut as the starting libero on Sept. 20 at Florida, Mooney leads the team with 46 digs (3.54 per set) and has distributed 12 assists.
Outside hitter Aryn Johnson led the match with 11 kills and 24 attacks to finish with a .375 hitting percentage, her third-best mark of the season. She also contributed eight digs and two block assists.
Payton Van Veen contributed 10 kills to mark the third time she has recorded double-digit kills this season while freshman Reagan Bedell set a new career high of nine kills, including four in the first set.
After five tie scores and two lead changes early in the first, the Mean Green pulled away with a 9-1 run sparked by senior Priscilla Jones with a pair of kills.
Down by as many as five points in the second set, UNT closed the frame with an 11-4 run with a starring role from senior Coco Gillett with three kills and one block in the stretch.
Gillett closed the match with four kills in the third set to bring her match total to nine as the Mean Green finished off the Green Wave.
UP NEXT
UNT travels to Charlotte on Friday at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN+ from Halton Arena.
