JACKSON, Miss. – Starting off October with a shutout win, the East Texas Baptist University volleyball team defeated Belhaven University Blazers, 3-0 (25-11, 25-22, 25-19). ETBU improves to 11-7 overall and 4-3 in the American Southwest Conference East Division.
 
Allie Fennell led with six kills while Cassidy Zellmer finished with another double-double posting 13 assists and 11 digs. Defensively, Lizeth Flores led with three blocks while Savannah Stanley had eight digs.
 
After starting set one at 2-2, ETBU would take control with nine straight points led by Bailey Byas, who contributed a kill and a service ace in the stretch. ETBU would reach their first double-digit lead at 15-5 only to witness the Blazers rally to trail within 16-10. But before BU could get closer, Fennell stopped their momentum with a kill as ETBU would follow with an 8-1 run to win the first set 25-11.
 
BU came out in the second set on fire leading, 5-2. Yet, ETBU turned the tide to their side as they put up an 8-2 run to lead 10-7. Following a BU run of three straight, ETBU would never surrender the lead although the Blazers would match them at 16-16 and 17-17. Kills by Annie Harris and Carley Boswell gave ETBU a 21-17 lead before BU cut the lead to 22-21. Once again, Harris secured control with a kill before Kennedy Peacock ended the tightly contested second set at 25-22.
 
In set three, BU would have their first and only lead at 2-1 before six straight ETBU points, including two straight kills by Peacock, pushed the score to 7-2. Three of the next four points belonged to BU but ETBU regained momentum with five straight points with help from Blazer errors. BU would get the lead down to three at 16-13 before ETBU took over for good as they finished with a 10-6 run to complete the sweep 25-19.
 
The Tigers will be back in action next week as they will travel to LeTourneau University for a 7:00 PM game against the Yellow Jackets on Tuesday night.