SAN ANTONIO, Texas – In an exciting five-set match at Trinity University Classic, the East Texas Baptist University volleyball team willed themselves to the win, 3-2 (14-25, 25-22, 21-25, 25-23, 15-12) over Hendrix College. ETBU leaves San Antonio 1-3 following their first week of action.
Avery Reid led the way with 14 kills while
Kayla Rainey (13 kills, 14 digs),
Kaylee Morton (13 assists, 11 digs) and
Jenna Helms (29 assists, 17 digs) each tallied a double-double.
Lillie Hill set a new career-high with 29 digs
The opening set started with each side trading points for the first 16 serves. It would be HC that would take control going on an 11-2 run to lead 20-11. ETBU could only bring the gap to 21-14 before HC secured the last four straight points. HC tallied 12 kills and 15 digs compared to ETBU's nine kills and 12 digs.
Determined to get a set win, ETBU started the second set going up 8-3 with kills from O'Bannon, Shipp, and
Brooke O'Neal. The Warriors managed to pull within two, 13-11, before a Harris kill and three HC attack errors provided ETBU a 19-12 lead. Despite HC's late rally, the Tigers were able to equal the match at one apiece with a 25-22 win.
With control of the match up for grabs in the third set, neither side could build a lead of more than four points. The Tigers were able to secure a 16-12 lead as they had three service aces coming from Hill, Rainey, and Helms. But, with the score knotted at 18, the Warriors seized control and ran a 7-3 rally to a 25-21 win putting them up, 2-1.
Seeking to put the match away, the Warriors raced out to an 8-4 lead in the fourth set. They would keep their distance as they answered each ETBU rally to put the score at 15-10. Reid would then spark ETBU with four of the team's 16 total kills that equalized the score at 15. Harris, Reeve and
Brooke O'Neal gave ETBU the lead after that as they would hang on to win, 25-23.
It all came down to the fifth and final set. In what became a test of will for both sides, they traded points in the first 14 serves. HC led 8-6 when Rainey responded by keying a 4-1 run to making it 10-9. Tied at 11, Reid emerged in the clutch with both the go ahead and the match-ending kill as ETBU won 15-12.
ETBU will hit the road next week to take on the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor on September 10 at 6:00 PM.
