SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Battling top ranked teams in NCAA Division III, the East Texas Baptist University volleyball came up short in two matches at the Trinity University Classic on Friday. ETBU is now 0-3 on the year and faces Hendrix College on Saturday.
 
Opening the classic against #1 Trinity University, ETBU fell in straight sets (25-9, 25-18, 25-18). Avery Reid led ETBU with 10 kills and two service aces. Kaylee Morton put up 11 assists, which topped the team while Lillie Hill finished with 15 digs. 
 
In the second match of the day, ETBU battled Texas Lutheran falling 25-18, 25-12, 25-16. Reid and Hope Shipp (10 digs) each contributed four kills in the match while Hill had 16 kills. Jenna Helms would lead the Tigers with 11 assists in the match.
 

---

Match 1: TU 3, ETBU 0 
TU showed why they were the #1 ranked team early in the first set as they started with five straight points, which propelled them to a dominant 25-9 win. ETBU did cut the margin to as close as eight,14-6, and were led by three kills from O'Bannon. But, it was TU's 15 first set kills, four service aces and 16 digs, which allowed them to hold ETBU to under double-digits in the first set. 
 
ETBU's first lead of the match was courtesy of an attack error by TU on the first serve in the second set. After trailing 5-1, ETBU would cut the margin to 5-4 as Rainey had a kill, an ace, and force an attack error. Reid helped ETBU back into set two collecting seven kills in the set as they kept pace with TU. But, with the score tied at 16, the Tigers committed six errors down the stretch and TU took a 2-0 lead following a 25-18 win. 
 
Early in the third set, after exchanging the first five set points, ETBU surged to a 11-4 lead in part to three kills and an ace from Reid. ETBU seized a 13-6 advantage when TU ran up nine straight points to lead 15-13. ETBU tied the game to 16 only for TU to put the match away with a 9-2 run for a 25-18 win.
 

---

Match 2: TLU 3, ETBU 0
After two points apiece, TLU would go on an 11-2 run to lead 13-4, which they would not concede in set one. The Bulldogs would record 11 kills, four aces, and blocks while ETBU committed eight attack errors. ETBU would cut the deficit to 16-12 as Reid had three kills. But TLU took back momentum and ran with it to a 25-18 win.
 
The second set started with each team putting up seven points. TLU went on a 6-1 run to lead 13-8 before committing two straight errors. Undaunted, the Bulldogs would end the second set with a 12-2 run to win 25-12 despite five attack errors. ETBU only managed six kills and four blocks in the set.
 
TLU began the third set with six of the first seven points. ETBU worked to cut the lead to 11-8 with the O'Neal twins of Brooke and Megan each collecting a kill in the rally. TLU then surged forward with 10 points and although ETBU came within five, 21-16, the Bulldogs tallied the final four points for the win.
 
ETBU will face Hendrix College at 4:45 p.m. on Saturday.