MARSHALL, Texas – Playing close in all three sets to the American Southwest Conference East Division preseason favorite, the East Texas Baptist University volleyball team was unable to stop the momentum as they fell in three sets (20-25, 20-25, 12-25). The loss drops the Tigers to 7-4 overall and 1-1 in the ASC East.
Allie Fennell led the Tiger with nine kills.
Cassidy Zellmer collected 14 assists while
Savannah Stanley tallied seven digs. UTD had a double-double from Caroline Shecterle (16 assists, 10 digs). Jillian Via led the Comets with 11 kills while Anna Jones had 13 digs to lead the way.
Trading two points each to start the first set, the Comets then ran off nine of the next 11 points to grab an 11-4 edge. ETBU would manage to come within three, 14-11, from a few UTD errors. But the Comets then upped the lead to 20-14 only for the Tigers to tally four straight kills by Fennell and
Bailey Byas to come within two, 20-18. However, UTD finished the set with five points in the next seven serves for a 25-20 final.
After falling behind 4-1 in set two, the Tigers picked up their first lead of the match at 5-4 with four straight points with
Kennedy Peacock and
Annie Harris collecting kills before Stanley put down a service ace. The set remained tight as neither side could pick up runs despite UTD leading by one, 14-13, half way through the set. The Comets would nab four straight points for a 18-13 cushion. ETBU could manage two unanswered points to bring the score to 18-15. Yet, the Comets finished strong as they won the second set 25-20.
The start of set three appeared to be repeating itself with UTD jumping up 4-1 only to see ETBU get two unanswered points to trail by one. This time, the Comets would answer any ETBU threat as they would grab an 8-3 surge to lead 12-6. ETBU would manage to bring the game down to 13-9, but the Comets ended the match with a 12-3 run for the 25-12 set three win.
ETBU will hit the road on Monday at 6:00 PM to Georgetown, Texas, where they will take on the Pirates of Southwestern.
