Senior middle blocker Courtney Manning on the Sept. 21 3-0 ECU victory. (Sidney Hollingsworth/The Daily Campus)

SMU volleyball took on University of Texas El Paso (UTEP) for a 3-1 victory in Moody Coliseum Sunday. This game brought its winning streak to four straight matches.

“I think winning two games against UCF (University of Central Flordia) and Southern Mississippi gave us a lot of confidence going into this past weekend,” Olivia Bailey said. “We knew they were must-win games based on standings.”

The Mustangs won the first set with ease after five aces and out-scoring the Miners 12-6 on the attack for a 25-15 win.

The second set started off the same with the Mustangs leading 18-9, but UTEP fought back by cutting SMU’s lead to two points.

With a close score of 23-21, the Mustangs held the lead and freshman Abbey Bybel bombed a kill for the win.

“During the second set the match was really close, but each individual on the court stepped up and got the job done,” Bybel said.

The Miners came out strong in the third set by closely trailing behind SMU 17-16, and then breaking the 19-19 tie. UTEP scored six of the last eight points for the 25-21 win.

UTEP brought heat again in the fourth set taking an early 15-10 lead over the Mustangs.

SMU took its first lead in the set 19-18, but the Miners quickly came back and took a 23-21 lead.

With a fifth set on the line, the Mustangs kept the ball in play and freshman Cailin Bula earned the kill for SMU, giving the Mustangs the momentum.

SMU took the victory after Caroline Young served her fourth ace of the match.

“I think one thing that has helped us is finding a consistent lineup,” Bailey said. “I think the great chemistry that all of us feel off the court is finally starting to translate on the court allowing us to push through and win the close games.”

Courtney Manning, Maddie Lozano and Bybel led the Mustangs with 11 kills each. Young ended with 10 and Bula had nine.

Bailey had 43 assists and nine digs finishing closely behind senior Susan Lewis who recorded a match-high 11 digs.

Lozano finished with five blocks and Manning had three.

The Mustangs take on Tulsa at home in Moody Coliseum tonight at 7 p.m. and will also be participating in the Side-Out Foundation’s “Dig Pink” campaign to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer research.