MOUNT BERRY, Ga. — Moving to a historic 17-0, No. 2 East Texas Baptist University came away with two wins in the Berry College Invite on the road in Georgia. ETBU swept Covenant College, 3-0, and then held off No. 14 Berry College, 3-1, in a loud environment at The Cage Gymnasium. The Tigers have now played 13 straight matches on the road and will have one more on Saturday in Georgia before returning home for seven matches in Ornelas Gym.
ETBU 3, Covenant 0
The Tigers served up a three-set victory against the Scotts 25-13, 25-16, 25-16. ETBU recorded eight aces and a hitting percentage of .278, holding Covenant to 058. This is ETBU's fifth sweep in a row and first time beating Covenant College. Before today the only other time they faced off resulted in a 3-1 loss for the Tigers.
Graycee Mosley led the Tigers with nine kills and four aces while also collecting a team-high 15 digs.
Lindsey Gooch contributed nine kills, hitting at a .438 percentage across three sets.
Lexi Moody provided a strong setting presence, recording 14 assists and adding one kill.
ETBU had several major contributors in set one and quickly gained a 5-2 lead. Mosley and
McKinzie Riley contributed early kills, with
Taylor Poore and Moody assisting effectively. The team extended its advantage with a series of well-executed plays, including service aces by Mosley and a key block by Riley and Moody.
Sydney Temple's assists complemented the team's offensive rhythm, extending their lead to 14-6. Mosley and
Lara Hornsby continued to find success, pushing the score to 21-8. Hancock's final kill secured set one at 25-13.
Set two began with ETBU establishing momentum early, as
Katherine Server and Mosley delivered key kills. Moody's precise setting facilitated a string of points, including a service ace by Temple that extended their advantage. ETBU capitalized on Covenant's errors, with Gooch and Server each contributing significant kills to widen the lead. Despite a brief rally, ETBU maintained composure, with Mosley and Gooch adding to the scoreboard and securing the set with a 25-16 victory.
Closing out the match with a decisive 25-16 set three victory, the Tigers had several scoring opportunities, including a kill by Mosley, which set the tone early. Despite Covenant's brief lead, ETBU capitalized on service errors and defensive plays, notably a block by
Anita Hancock, to regain control. The Tigers maintained their advantage through consistent offensive pressure, highlighted by Hornsby's kill and an ace, extending the lead. With contributions from Gooch and Hancock, ETBU pulled away. The set concluded with a service error by their opponent, sealing a 25-16 victory for ETBU.
ETBU 3, Berry 1
No. 14 Berry put up a great fight against the Tigers, winning the first set 25-18. The crowd in the Gage Gymnasym was loud with the band booming. ETBU, though, won sets, two through four, 18-25, 26-24, 25-18, 25-23, to stay perfect on the year.
Relentless defense was the key to their victory. The Tigers amassed 69 digs and nine total blocks. Berry, despite serving 9 aces, could not maintain their early momentum. Mosley posted 17 kills on 37 attempts, with 10 assists for a double-double as Hornsby recorded 17 kills and a hitting percentage of .297. Temple facilitated the attack with 28 assists and 14 digs for a double-double as Moody added 17 assists. On the defensive side,
Callie Humphrey recorded 24 digs as Gooch had six blocks and Hancock five.
The first set was a hard fought battle but included highlights from Mosley who scored the first points with a kill assisted by Moody to level the score at 1-1. Server's service ace quickly gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead. The team maintained momentum with a block from Riley and Hancock, contributing to a narrow advantage at 5-3. Despite back-and-forth exchanges, ETBU briefly led 13-12 following a kill by Riley. However, Berry responded with a strong run to establish a 20-17 lead. ETBU's efforts, including a kill by Hornsby, kept the game competitive, but Berry closed the set with a series of points, winning 25-18.
Set two was an all-out brawl as ETBU opened with a strong defensive play. Hancock's block set the tone early. Mosley and Hornsby contributed crucial kills, keeping the score close. Temple effectively distributed the ball to multiple attackers, helping maintain momentum. The set saw several lead changes, with ETBU capitalizing on Berry's errors and building a mid-set advantage. Gooch and Hancock were pivotal at the net, combining for key blocks. As the set neared its conclusion, Mosley and Hornsby delivered decisive kills, pushing ETBU ahead. The set closed with ETBU securing a narrow 26-24 win, as Mosley sealed the set with another kill.
The tone shifted in the third set with a dominant performance by ETBU. Gooch and Hornsby delivered successive kills, part of a surge that extended ETBU's lead to 7-2, with Humphrey contributing a service ace. Berry attempted to respond, closing the gap, but the Tigers maintained control with consistent scoring, including a service ace by
Taylor Poore and repeated blocks by Server and Gooch. ETBU continued to push forward, expanding their advantage further through strong offensive plays by Mosley and Hornsby. Despite Berry's effort to rally, ETBU closed the set with a kill by Hornsby, sealing a 25-18 victory in the third set.
The fourth set commenced with ETBU establishing an early lead through a series of successful plays. Gooch and Mosley capitalized on assists from Temple and Humphrey, building a 4-0 advantage. ETBU continued to apply pressure, with Mosley securing additional points, increasing the gap to 11-4. Berry attempted a comeback, narrowing the score with a series of successful plays, but crucial errors, including service faults, allowed ETBU to maintain their lead. The set concluded with the Tigers holding off a late surge from Berry, clinching the frame with a final score of 25-23.
ETBU is now 17-0 on the season continuing the longest win streak in program history. They will face Oglethorpe tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. central time in the Cage Gymnasium.
