COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Headed to a higher altitude to start the 2025 season, No. 14 East Texas Baptist University went 2-0 on the first day of play Colorado College's Pikes Peak Challenge. ETBU swept Edgewood 25-17, 25-17, 25-15, and then won in five sets over No. 22 UW-Eau Claire, 25-18, 25-23, 22-25, 24-26, 16-14. ETBU will face Colorado College and UW-Stevens Point on Saturday.
Below are recaps from both matches.
ETBU 3, Edgewood 0
ETBU dominated Edgewood with a .416 hitting percentage and secured eight service aces in the three-set victory. ETBU's defense also stood strong, recording 43 digs compared to Edgewood's 29.
ETBU started the first set strong with a balanced attack, taking an early lead at 3-1 with a service ace from
Sydney Temple.
Graycee Mosley contributed with key kills, while
Callie Humphrey's service ace extended the lead to 13-5.
Lara Hornsby was instrumental, achieving multiple kills, including the set-winning point at 25-17 with an assist from
Lexi Moody. Despite Edgewood's attempts to close the gap, ETBU maintained control throughout the set, showcasing effective teamwork and execution.
The second set saw a strong performance from the Tigers, as they secured a 25-17 victory. Temple played a pivotal role, contributing multiple assists, including a key streak where Mosley converted three consecutive kills from Temple's setups, pushing the score from 17-13 to 20-13. Moody also made significant contributions with a service ace, helping the Tigers regain the lead, and continued to facilitate the offense effectively. The set concluded with Hornsby delivering the decisive kill, once again assisted by Temple, clinching the set for ETBU.
The third set began with ETBU taking an early lead, highlighted by a kill from Mosley. A strong performance by
Anita Hancock, who recorded multiple kills, helped the Tigers shift momentum during a crucial stretch, turning a 4-1 deficit into an 8-4 lead with a series of five consecutive points.
Katherine Server's service ace marked a key moment in this run. ETBU maintained control and closed the set on a high note, with Mosley securing the final point with a service ace, concluding the set at 25-15.
Mosley led ETBU with 18.0 points, tallying 14 kills on 28 attempts for a hitting percentage of .321. She also contributed defensively with 10 digs and two block assists for a double-double. Hancock made a strong impact at the net with five total blocks and an attack percentage of .667, recording eight kills on 12 attempts. Moody facilitated the offense with 13 assists, adding a service ace and five digs. Temple contributed 20 assists and two service aces, maintaining a balanced playmaking role. Hornsby was efficient in her attacks, achieving a .688 hitting percentage with 11 kills on 16 attempts.
ETBU 3, UW-Eau Claire 2
ETBU held off a University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire rally for a five-set match win at El Pomar Sports Center, winning 25-18, 25-23, 22-25, 24-26, 16-14. The Tigers secured the victory with 69 kills and 58 assists while UWEC had 67 kills and 65 assists.
East Texas Baptist began the first set with a balanced attack, as Moody and Temple facilitated multiple scoring plays to keep the match competitive. The team faced a challenging stretch mid-set when UWEC expanded their lead to 9-3, but the Tigers responded with a crucial streak of seven consecutive points to level the score at 12-12. Hornsby and Mosley were instrumental in this comeback, with Hornsby notching four kills during a decisive late rally that saw ETBU finish the set on an impressive 6-0 run, concluding with a 25-18 victory.
The Tigers opened the second set with a balanced attack, quickly responding to an early deficit with a kill by
Anita Hancock, assisted by Moody, making it 2-3. A notable run by ETBI began with an attack error by Darienne Andre, leading to a 5-0 streak that included multiple contributions from Hancock and a block by Hornsby. Later in the set,
Lindsey Gooch delivered a critical kill, assisted by Temple, to maintain a narrow lead at 20-18. The set concluded on a high note for the Tigers with Mosley securing a kill at 24-23, followed by a bad set from the opposing team, clinching the set at 25-23.
ETBU began the third set with momentum, securing a 6-1 lead, highlighted by three consecutive kills from Mosley, all assisted by Moody. However, a series of attack errors allowed UWEC to close the gap, eventually leading 12-8 after a scoring run fueled by Mya Cinnamo's kills. Despite the Tigers' efforts to rally, including Hornsby's late kills bringing the score to 22-21, UWEC capitalized on blocks to close out the set 25-22.
The fourth set began with ETBU taking the lead through a kill by
McKinzie Riley, assisted by Moody. The teams exchanged points, with the Tigers briefly pulling ahead at 7-5 after a service ace by
Callie Humphrey. The set saw multiple ties, with Mosley contributing significantly to the offense, registering several kills, including one at 19-22 to keep the team in contention. Despite a late surge by ETBU, tying the score at 24-24 with a kill from Hornsby, UWEC closed out the set 26-24, capitalizing on an attack error to seal the victory.
In the decisive fifth set, ETBU showcased resilience by overcoming an early 3-0 deficit after UWEC started strong with two service aces. A critical moment came when Gooch and Temple contributed with consecutive kills, leveling the score at 5-5. The Tigers then built momentum, with Mosley and
Katherine Server leading a four-point run to take a 13-12 lead. The set culminated with Temple's service ace securing a 16-14 victory for ETBU, marking a strong finish to a closely contested match.
Mosley led the Tigers with 23 kills on 61 attempts, hitting .311. She also recorded 28 digs and contributed a team-high 23.0 points for her second consecutive double-double. Moody provided key support with 27 assists over five sets, adding seven digs to her efforts. Humphrey was a defensive standout with 16 digs, while Temple contributed 24 assists and maintained a .333 hitting percentage.
Looking ahead, the Tigers will face Colorado College and Wisconsin-Stevens point on Saturday, Aug. 30. The matches are set for 1:00 and 3:30 p.m. at the Colorado College.
