Texas volleyball is 12-3 overall, but is still undefeated in the SEC.

The No. 7 Longhorns recorded their seventh consecutive SEC win and ninth over with a 3-1 victory over the Bulldogs on Sunday in Austin.

Texas volleyball head coach Jerritt Elliott said consistency has been key to the team’s SEC success this season. 

“I think there are a lot of players playing well over a period of time,” Elliott said. “I think our numbers are getting better. The things we have been working on, our team has been putting in the work. We’re really getting some good balance on the floor.”

But Elliott said the home-court advantage has played a part as well.

“It’s gigantic,” Elliott said. “This has been a really tough stretch for us…There’s a lot of emotional stuff. Trying to make sure we’re dialed into what we’re doing. I’m just so proud of them and our crowd did a great job.”

In the first set, the Bulldogs pulled off a come-from-behind win with a 15-3 run. However, the Longhorns took control the rest of the match and recorded a season-high 16 total blocks. Redshirt sophomore and middle blocker Marianna Singletary had a career-high game with 11 blocks (2 solo, 9 block assists).

“Being able to come back and manage our game, manage our errors, I think that’s a really big theme for us this year,” Singletary said. “Making other teams play the long game really gave us the advantage and we still have confidence and trust in each other to be able to finish out until the end of the match.”

Friday’s SEC win over the Arkansas Razorbacks marked Elliott’s 600th win at Texas, a milestone that Singletary said the team was waiting to celebrate. 

“That was so awesome, I was so happy for him,” Singletary said. “We had kind of…been counting down a little bit and getting to celebrate him and his amazing career. Getting to play for him is really rewarding and awesome.”

The Longhorns shifted to the SEC this season after playing in the Big 12 since 1996. Singletary said the biggest challenge Texas has faced this year is becoming familiar with the unfamiliar.

 “I definitely think there’s more balance between all the teams,” Singletary said. “Everybody is so good. It’s way more challenging for us than the Big 12 because everybody is so good, everybody is well spread out and well balanced on our team. It’s putting up a big challenge for us and especially away games. The gyms are huge…just getting used to the new environment and new teams and different play styles.”

So far, the Longhorns have done more than enough to prove that they are valid contenders in the SEC. 

Texas will continue SEC play and will take on its rival, Texas A&M, on Wednesday at Gregory Gym at 7 p.m.