Volleyball game between the Texas Longhorns and Vanderbilt Commodores at Gregory Gymnasium in Austin, Texas on September 24, 2025. (Photo: UT Athletics)
The No. 2 Texas Longhorns started their conference campaign with a statement, easily sweeping Vanderbilt (25-13, 25-18, 25-21) to maintain their perfect record and move to 9-0 on the season. The victory wasn't just another win; it marked the fourth consecutive sweep for the Longhorns, a streak the team hasn't matched since November of 2024. Displaying relentless offensive pressure, Texas outhit their opponent for the eighth time this year, fueled by three players who posted an attack percentage of .560 or better.
The Longhorns' dominance was evident in the statistics, finishing the night with a blazing .446 hitting percentage, which stands as their second-highest of the season and their third consecutive match hitting over .400. In contrast, they severely hampered the Commodores' attack, holding Vanderbilt to a mere .153 hitting percentage, well below their season average of .218. This defensive stranglehold handed Vanderbilt its third sweep of the young season.
Adding a major milestone to the night, junior Torrey Stafford crossed the 900 career kills threshold, leading the attack with 14 kills while contributing five digs. The offense was orchestrated with exceptional precision by sophomore Rella Binney, who stepped into her first collegiate start and delivered a career-high 36 assists, along with three digs, running the Texas system with the poise of a veteran.
Texas wasted no time in the first set of their conference opener, hitting an astounding .565 and dominating the Commodores, holding them to only nine kills compared to Texas' 16. Taking advantage of a few Vanderbilt errors, the Longhorns closed the set on a powerful 7-1 run, with Binney contributing 15 assists in that opening frame alone. The second set saw Stafford take the reins, leading the team with seven kills and three digs as Texas took a 2-0 match lead. Once again, the defense was suffocating, holding Vanderbilt to a paltry .118 hitting percentage while the Longhorns maintained a high-flying .440 mark.
The third set proved to be the closest contest, but Texas refused to yield control. The defense locked down, holding the Commodores' offense to just nine kills and a .182 hitting percentage. Freshman Abby Vander Wal stepped up to close the match, securing five of her 10 total kills in the final set to seal the sweep and Texas’ first official conference victory. The undefeated Longhorns now prepare for their most significant test of the week as they host No. 21 Missouri on Friday, marking their eighth top-25 matchup of the season.
University of Texas Volleyball
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