MARSHALL, Texas – A series of big rallies by the University of Texas Dallas Comets would be the big difference as the East Texas Baptist University volleyball team fell in three sets, 19-25, 18-25, and 18-25. ETBU is now 9-10 overall and 3-5 in American Southwest Conference play.

Lindsey Hill led ETBU with eight kills while Cassidy Zellmer picked up a double-double with 12 assists and 12 digs. Jillian Via was UTD's top player with a double-double of 16 digs and 10 kills while Fayna Zeng had a game-high 19 assists.

In set one, UTD would get off to a big start by scoring three of four points. They would push the lead up to five points on two occasions (10-5, 11-6). ETBU would come as close as 12-9. The four point lead would be kept until 17-13 when five straight Comet points made it 22-13. At 24-16, ETBU would try to cut the lead down reaching 24-19 before UTD won the set, 25-19.

UTD started with a 2-0 lead in set two. ETBU would then score four straight points to lead 4-2 only to watch as the Comets poured on nine straight points to lead 11-4. After a Tigers run of 4-2 would make the score, 13-8, UTD manufactured a 6-2 run to lead by nine points at 21-12. Once again, ETBU would make a push to cut the score down but fell, 25-18.

Set three started like the previous set as UTD's 4-1 start was vanquished by four consecutive points by ETBU to go up 5-4. Each team would trade points with neither side leading by more than two points for the next fifteen serves as the Comets led 13-11. Still, UTD had a big rally in them as they would force an 8-3 surge to go up 21-14. ETBU would make it as close as 24-18 before the Comets finished the three-set win at 25-18.

ETBU returns to Ornelas Gym this Friday at 7:00 p.m. when they will host Belhaven University.