RICHARDSON, Texas – Playing close in all three sets behind 46 kills and 43 assists, the East Texas Baptist University volleyball team fell to Concordia University-Texas, 3-0, in the opening match of the American Southwest Conference Tournament. CTX took the sets 25-20, 25-25, and 25-20 as ETBU is now 12-18 overall.

Sevening led the attack effort for ETBU with 13 kills in the match. Elyse Shaw dished out 21 assists and collected 12 digs for the double-double.

CTX jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first set. A kill by Sevening put the Tigers on the board to bring the score to 2-1. An attack error by the Tornados tied the game at 3-3 over the next two exchanges. The match went back and forth until a kill by Paige Miller off the setup by Meredith Augsburger knotted the game once again at 6-6. CTX rattled off a 5-1 spurt to increase the lead to 12-7. The lead would grow to as many as seven before ETBU cut into the deficit behind another Sevening kill. The score stood at, 21-20, when Concordia scored four straight points to close out the set one win, 25-20.

Set two started off promising for ETBU. An early run was capped off by a Bailey Byas kill to put ETBU on top 7-1. The Tornados would eventually even the score at 9-9, leading to four straight points putting them on top 13-9. The lead rose to as many as six before CTX closed out the second set with another 25-20 victory.

ETBU would jump out to yet another quick start in set three, scoring the first four points for the advantage. ETBU maintained the lead for much of the set until a kill by Marissa Stinson put the Tornados on top 16-15. CTX led 24-22 with the match point in sight, but a kill by Lizeth Flores brought the Tigers to within one, at 24-23. A kill by Carly Cluster put an end to ETBU's comeback hopes, resulting in a 25-23 win.

The team will face the loser of the match UMHB and Hardin-Simmons match  on Friday at 12:00 p.m.