Box Score FORT WORTH, Texas – An already impressive Friday for the UALR volleyball team got even better later in the afternoon as senior Edina Begic earned her first career triple-double with 11 kills, 11 aces and 10 digs in a win against Prairie View.
Begic's 11 aces were also a UALR rally-scoring record in the 3-0 (25-7, 25-14, 25-20) win against the Panthers at the TCU Nike Invitational on Friday. The Trojans defeated Miami 3-1 (30-32, 25-17, 25-17, 25-18) earlier in the day, a victory that was the team's second ever win against an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent.
Friday's game against Prairie View was not nearly as close as the Miami contest, as Begic managed her triple-double in just three sets. In 2013, there were only five triple-doubles nationwide in a three-set match, none of which were in the Sun Belt Conference. In 2012, only two players in the entire country had a triple-double in a three-set match.
Begic earned the triple-double in the third set with her 10th kill. Begic's career kill total also inched closer to the all-time school record. She ended the day with 1,695 career kills, leaving her 16 away from becoming the UALR all-time career kills leader.
In the first set, after being down 5-4, UALR went on a rally and scored 17 straight points on Begic's service to take a 20-5 lead. Begic contributed to the 17-point rally with four service aces.
The second set was a closer contest as the lead changed hands several times, but ultimately the Trojans took the frame. Begic added five more service aces to bring her total to nine in the first two sets.
The final set was much closer than the previous two, but the Trojans held the lead from the wire, winning 25-20 to seal the contest.
Other noteworthy performances included 24 assists and 6 digs for Megan Mathis while Sonja Milanovic tallied 12 kills and seven digs. On the defensive side, Adisa Hodzic, Carolee Dillard, and Edina Selimovic all racked up three blocks.
The Trojans return to action Saturday afternoon against Grambling at 1 p.m. and again that evening for the final match of the TCU Nike Invitational against host TCU at 7 p.m.
