BELTON, Texas - After taking the first set, East Texas Baptist University was unable to keep the momentum going as they fell in four sets to the University of #12 Mary Hardin-Baylor (21-25, 25-16, 25-18, 25-18) in American Southwest Conference volleyball play. ETBU now sits at 1-4 on the season and 0-1 in the ASC.

Avery Reid (13 kills, 10 digs) and Jenna Helms (21 assists, 11 digs) each provided ETBU with a double-double performance. Maddison Harris added 14 assists while Lillie Hill led all players with 18 digs and Bailey O'Bannon recorded five blocks.

The first half of the first set saw ETBU go toe-to-toe with UMHB as O'Bannon and Brooke O'Neal each had two kills to take a one-point lead, 11-10. The two of them would each add another kill that sparked a 10-4 ETBU run, which put them up, 21-14. The Tigers then led 23-16 when UMHB would cut the deficit to 24-21. Kayla Rainey stopped that run with a set-sealing kill for a 25-21 set one win.

UMHB would give ETBU their first and only lead in the second set on a service error. What followed was an 11-4 Crusader run for a six-point lead, 11-5. Kills by O'Bannon and O'Neal along with three attack errors allowed ETBU to trail, 14-10. UMHB retrieved their momentum and a 6-2 run putting them ahead, 20-12, as ETBU was unable to catch up. The Crusaders then took the second set 25-16.

Helped by four UMHB errors, ETBU took an early 6-4 lead in set three. Five straight points by the Crusaders gave them the lead, 9-6. Again, key kills by O'Bannon and O'Neal helped get ETBU to within striking distance trailing, 11-10. But once again, UMHB used a late rally to put further distance from ETBU. A 9-2 run gave UMHB a 20-12 lead in a set they would win 25-18 thanks to a 16-9 kill advantage.

Kayla Rainey and Ainsley Reeve combined for three kills to start the fourth set to go up, 4-1. Unfazed, UMHB answered with an 11-2 surge for a 12-6 cushion. Reid then stepped up with four critical kills that allowed the Tigers to claw back to a 14-14 score. Despite putting up more kills (16-12) than the Crusaders in the fourth set, ETBU would only add four more points watching UMHB run away 25-18 in set four to claim the match 3-1.

ETBU will look to bounce back on Saturday against Concordia University Texas at 1:00 PM tomorrow in Austin.