NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Momentum was the key in the NCAA Division III Tournament second round match as no. 8 East Texas Baptist University's season came to an end to Christopher Newport, 3-1, 23-25, 15-25, 25-22, 26-28. ETBU ends their historic season at 29-2, making their second straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament in the second round and winning back-to-back American Southwest Conference Tournament Championships. ETBU also set a new record for consecutive wins at 28 and has a 28-match home winning streak in Ornelas Gym.
 
"I'm very proud to be the coach of this team and the four seniors we have, have put a lot into this program," said head coach Mallory Matthews. "They have a laid a huge foundation within this program. All year long we have played for Jesus Christ and I feel every single day that they have stepped out on the floor, whether it was in a practice or in a game, they have played for Him and these seniors have been a huge foundation of that."
 
Graycee Mosley and Avery Reid led the team with double-doubles. Mosley had 19 kills and 15 digs while Reid added 15 kills and 16 digs. Hannah Perry added nine kills as Callie Humphrey had 22 digs. Lexi Moody finished with 20 assists, and McKenzie Mansell had 17. ETBU hit only .093 with 50 kills and four blocks, while CNU hit .221 with a combined 25 blocks.
 
Set one became the momentum changer of the match. ETBU kept a comfortable lead most of the set and was up 20-16. CNU scored four straight points to tie it at 20, but ETBU took a 23-21 lead on a Mosley kill. CNU answered with four consecutive points to take the set, 25-23.
 
CNU carried the momentum into set two for a 25-15 win and a 2-0 lead. ETBU bounced back in set three holding onto a 25-22 win. Mosley gave ETBU the set win on a kill. Set four mirrored set one as ETBU went up 11-7. CNU answered on an 8-0 run to take a 15-11 lead. ETBU responded by scoring seven of the following eight points for a two-point lead, 18-16. Humphrey gave ETBU the two-point lead with a service ace. A Reid kill made it 22-18, as she added another kill for a 24-22 lead. ETBU needed just one point to send the match to a fifth set, but CNU scored the next three for a one-point lead, 25-24. A kill from Reid and Mosley gave ETBU the one-point lead, 26-25, but a Tiger attack error and two CNU kills ended the match 28-26.
 
The 29 wins are the second most in program history behind 32 wins in 2013. It is also the second time in program history to make it to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments following the 2001 and 2002 seasons.