MARSHALL, Texas - Battling hard in another five-set thriller with LeTourneau University, the East Texas Baptist University volleyball team would see their seven-match winning streak end to the Yellow Jackets in a 16-25, 25-22, 17-25, 25-15, 15-13 loss. ETBU is now 9-6 overall and 6-3 in the American Southwest Conference.
Avery Reid (19 kills, 11 digs) and
Kayla Rainey (10 kills, 16 digs) each had double-doubles to lead the Tigers.
Brooke O'Neal posted 12 kills while
Kaylee Morton set a new career-high in assists with 24.
Maddison Harris (13) and
Jenna Helms (11) combined for 24 assists.
After starting off the first set tied at two apiece, the Tigers would then take command of the set with a nine to one run including a pair of service aces by Helms. Rainey then sparked ETBU with three kills as the Tigers built a nine point lead on three different occasions (16-7, 19-10, 21-12). Four straight LETU points got them to within 21-16, but another Rainey kill, along with a couple of Yellow Jacket errors, made the first set ETBU's at 25-16.
ETBU appeared to be off and running early in the second set with a 6-3 lead. However, LETU would catch up to them and grab an 11-9 lead. Once ETBU leveled it at 11, both teams would then build and overcome three-point leads as LETU's 16-13 edge was replaced by a 20-17 ETBU lead only for three unanswered points by LETU. With the score tied at 22, the Yellow Jackets secured the set with the final three points for a 25-22 victory.
With Morton serving to start set three, she collected two service aces to set up a 4-0 Tiger lead. LETU came as close as 5-3, but the rest of the set was all ETBU. Rainey and Reid combined for six kills to spark ETBU to as high of a lead as 17-9. LETU would have a rally of eight points to three bringing them to 20-17. However, the Harris-to-Harris connection of Maddison to
Annie Harris got a big kill that set in stone five straight points to take a 25-17 set three win.
The fourth set started like the first and third sets. This time, it was LETU who took command with a 12-5 lead. ETBU did put up four straight points to trail 12-9. The lead was still at three points at 16-13 when the Yellow Jackets would seize control for good with a 9-2 surge to put the set away at 25-15.
The fifth set saw ETBU take a 4-2 lead only for LETU to answer back and knot the score. The next 18 serves saw neither side gain more than a one-point lead. ETBU would only have the lead two more times as they spent the stretch catching up to LETU. But, when the Yellow Jackets were at match point at 14-13, they were able to finish off ETBU to secure the five set win.
ETBU will be back this Saturday at 2:00 PM as they will host the University of Texas Dallas.
