MARSHALL, Texas – Staying undefeated in 2019, the East Texas Baptist University volleyball team continued their historic start by sweeping Centenary College, 25-14, 25-14, 25-8, in their first home contest of the year at Ornelas Gym. ETBU is now 5-0 which continues to be the best start in the NCAA Division III era.
 
ETBU was led by Allie Fennell who produced eight kills. Cassidy Zellmer had 17 assists while Julia De Los Santos added 13 digs. For CC, Kelley Lauren finished with seven kils. Rachel Demerjian tallied a double-double with 13 digs and 14 assists.
 
From the start of set one, ETBU found themselves in control with three straight points beginning with an Alexis Contos kill.  Down 8-3, the Ladies would put together a small rally to pull within 9-8. ETBU would answer with a 10-4 surge to go back up, 19-12. Contos and Kennedy Peacock would tally two kills in the stretch. Trading two points each, the Tigers than secured the first set win with four points, including two service aces by Zellmer to make the final 25-14.
 
Early in set two, the Ladies would grab their first lead with two straight points. A kill by Lizeth Flores and a service ace by Annie Harris along with two errors by CC propelled ETBU into the lead, 6-3. CC would then grab the lead at 8-7 on an ETBU attack error.  Contos would tie the score will a kill and an attack error gave the Tigers a lead they would never relinquish, 9-8. They would follow with a 13-2 run to see their lead jump to 22-10. Sydney Lopez would contribute with three kills during the stretch including one that ended the second set, 25-14.
 
CC claimed the first point of the set only to see ETBU score the next 15 points for the large lead. Starting with a Harris kill and ending with a CC attack error, ETBU managed to pull off seven kills and two service aces by Kennedy Peacock to lead 15-1. Fennell had the majority of kills for the Tigers in this run with three while Harris, Zellmer, and Ainsley Reeve added kills in the run. Although CC would put up seven points, the Tigers would take the sweep by the score of 25-8 as Kayla Rainey added a kill in the final three points.
 
ETBU will hit the road to Jackson, Miss., for a crossover tournament at Millsaps College and Belhaven University. Their first two games will be on Friday at Belhaven with Central Baptist College (1:00 PM) and the University of Dallas (5:00 PM).