MARSHALL, Texas - Facing off against rival LeTourneau University, the East Texas Baptist University volleyball team came up on the short end of a doubleheader dropping both matches. ETBU is now 5-4 overall and 4-4 in the American Southwest Conference East Division.
The first match went five sets as ETBU overcame a two-set deficit. The Yellow Jackets would seal the win (25-22, 25-22, 19-25, 18-25, 15-10) with a late fifth set rally taking it, 3-2.
Annie Harris recorded 12 kills while both
Hope Shipp and
Kayla Rainey had 10 kills.
Laney Smith was ETBU's top assist maker with 18 while
Claire Johnson had 17 assists.
Lillie Hill finished with 22 digs in the game.
Despite taking the first set, 27-25, in the second match of the night, the Tigers fell in the next three sets to LETU 25-21, 25-22, 25-11. Rainey once again put up 10 kills while Johnson would record 18 assists and Hill had 22 digs.
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Game 1: LETU 3, ETBU 2 (22-25, 22-25, 25-19, 25-18, 10-15)
As set one began, the two teams traded points for the first 16 serves with each scoring eight points. LETU would put up five of the next seven to lead 13-10 only for kills by
Bailey O'Bannon and Harris to cut the margin to one. It would take another four straight points for LETU to create distance between them and ETBU at 17-12. ETBU would answer back with runs to cut the lead to one point, including 23-22. Yet, the Yellow Jackets sealed the 25-22 win with the final two points.
Much like the first set, both sides would exchange points in the second set as neither would grab a three-point lead to which the score was 10-10. LETU would be the first to lead by three with three straight points, 13-10. ETBU would battle back to score nine of the next 13 points to lead 19-17. Five unanswered LETU points would turn the tide in their favor as they led 22-19. Despite cutting the lead to 24-22, the Tigers were unable to equalize and fell 25-22 in set two.
ETBU would start the third set with momentum as they created a 12-5 run. Although LETU put three straight points to trail 12-8, the Tigers kept the pressure on LETU for a 7-4 run that saw them lead 19-12. Not willing to concede, the Yellow Jackets put together a 6-1 run to bring the score within two, 20-18. But LETU errors would contribute to ETBU scoring five of the last six points for a 25-19 win.
After trailing 2-0 in the fourth set, the Tigers would go on another surge. This time, they put together a 14-4 run, which included five kills and two of them coming from Shipp. ETBU's lead then grew to 19-10. LETU did bring the set to within 21-16 only to watch ETBU pick up four more kills from Harris,
Ainsley Reeve, and Shipp for a 25-18 win.
After two straight set losses, LETU would open the fifth set at 4-1. Behind two kills from Reeve, ETBU would rally to trail by one, 7-6. After combining for three points in the next six serves, it was LETU that sealed the win scoring five of the final six points, 15-10.
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Game 2: LETU 3, ETBU 1 (25-27, 25-21, 25-22, 25-11)
Determined to get off to a good start, ETBU would put together a 9-3 lead in the early part of the first set as Rainey and O'Bannon combined for four kills. LETU then brought themselves back into the set to trail by two, 13-11. Despite ETBU bringing the lead to four, 16-12, the Yellow Jackets would rally back to grab a 20-19 lead. ETBU then took back control and the lead, 24-22. Yet, LETU would knot the score with two straight points. After both teams tied at 25, Reeve's kill put ETBU at set point, which they would seal on an LETU attack error.
ETBU carried their finish into the second set as they went up, 5-2. Five LETU points later and ETBU was down 7-5. The rest of the set would be tight as ETBU would knot the contest at 16 thanks to a pair of LETU miscues. But that was when LETU would grab momentum with four straight points to lead 20-16. ETBU would get the set to within two, 21-19, before LETU took the win at 25-21.
Facing a critical third set, both teams would again trade points for the first 24 serves. Seven of ETBU's 12 points would come from errors by LETU. The Yellow Jackets would then put up six of the next seven points for an 18-13 lead. Sparked by three Shipp kills, the Tigers would get themselves back to within one, 23-22, on a 9-5 run. But, it was LETU who grabbed the match lead with the final two points, 25-22.
After both teams started 2-2 in set four, LETU would take the lead and never looked back. ETBU would pull within four, 10-6, before LETU went on a 10-3 run to put any chances of an ETBU rally aside. All the Tigers could do was tally 11 points as the Yellow Jackets grabbed the 25-11 set four win to clinch the series.
ETBU will travel to Jackson, Miss., to take on Belhaven University in a doubleheader this Friday. The first match will begin at 5:00 PM.
