COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Finishing what they started on day one of the Pikes Peak Challenge, No. 14 East Texas Baptist University took both of their matches to move to 4-0. ETBU won the first match of the day, 3-1, over host Colorado College and then finished with a sweep over Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
ETBU 3, Colorado College 1
East Texas Baptist University defeated Colorado College in four sets, 25-21, 13-25, 25-14, 25-17, securing the win with a strong showing in the third set, where they achieved a 25-14 victory, marking a pivotal moment in the match. The team recorded 48 kills and eight total blocks, while both teams matched with 45 assists and four service aces each.
ETBU opened the first set with a strong performance, securing a 25-21 victory.
Graycee Mosley led the attack with multiple key kills, including one at 10-3 and another at 19-17.
Lexi Moody was instrumental, facilitating a balanced offensive strategy, while
Anita Hancock contributed crucial blocks, including a decisive one at 24-21 to close the set.
Sydney Temple's service ace at 22-21 helped maintain momentum, leading to the Tigers' successful set finish.
The second set began with Colorado College taking an early 4-0 lead. ETBU responded with a run of their own, as Mosley secured a kill, and
Callie Humphrey assisted
Lara Hornsby for another point, narrowing the gap to 12-7. Despite a service ace from
McKenzie Mansell, Colorado College maintained their momentum, eventually closing the set with a 25-13 victory.
The third set began with Mosley striking first for the Tigers with a kill, quickly followed by another kill from
McKinzie Riley, giving the team a 3-1 advantage. A significant moment came as Mosley, assisted by Temple, landed consecutive kills to push the lead to 5-1. Later in the set,
Lindsey Gooch contributed two kills, extending ETBU's lead to 18-12. Moody showcased her playmaking ability with multiple assists, including key setups for
Emily Sitton and
Katherine Server, as ETBU closed the set on a strong note with a 25-14 victory over Colorado College.
The Tigers opened the fourth set with a commanding 5-0 run, highlighted by strong defensive plays, including blocks by Server and Mosley, and a kill from Moody assisted by Humphrey. Despite some challenges from Colorado College, ETBU maintained their momentum, with Temple contributing key assists that led to successful kills by Hancock and Mosley. The set concluded with ETBU securing a 25-17 victory, with Moody delivering the final point on a kill, assisted by Sherrill, solidifying their lead and performance in the match.
Mosley led ETBU with 12 kills and added 13 digs in four sets for her third straight double-double of the weekend. Moody contributed significantly with a .750 attack percentage, tallying 20 assists, three kills, and nine digs. Hancock showcased her blocking skills with one solo block and five block assists, totaling six blocks. Humphrey was a defensive standout with 15 digs over four sets. Temple provided 16 assists and two kills, maintaining a .500 hitting percentage.
ETBU 3, UW-Stevens Point 0
The Tigers then faced Wisconsin Stevens Point, going a perfect 3-0 with the sweep, 25-13, 25-13, 25-9, going a perfect 4-0 this weekend to open the season. ETBU dominated offensively with a .392 hitting percentage and recorded eight service aces. The Pointers struggled with a negative hitting percentage of -.021 and eight reception errors. The Tigers' strong blocking game contributed with 16 block assists, leading to their commanding victory.
ETBU started strong with a 3-0 run fueled by Mosley's kills, bringing the score to 3-2. A crucial moment in the set occurred when ETBU extended their lead to 6-3 with a block by Hancock and Riley. With Server's back-to-back service aces, the Tigers pulled ahead to 19-8, forcing the Pointers to make several substitutions. The set concluded with
Jenna McGuire and Server securing the final point through a block against Samantha Kempinger, giving ETBU a 25-13 victory in the first set.
ETBU secured the second set with a 25-13 victory, showcasing a strong team performance. The set featured a notable stretch where Mosley was instrumental, contributing to a 7-0 run that included a service ace and a series of opponent errors, extending their lead to 10-5. Additionally, Humphrey's impressive serving resulted in two consecutive service aces, pushing the score to 15-7. Temple was key in orchestrating the offense, assisting on multiple kills throughout the set.
The Tigers dominated the third set with a commanding 25-9 victory, highlighted by a series of scoring runs. Server initiated the set with a kill assisted by Moody at the 1-0 mark, setting the tone for ETBU's strong offensive performance. Mosley was instrumental, recording multiple kills, including a key stretch from 5-2 to 12-4, which featured contributions from Temple and Humphrey. The Tigers maintained momentum with strategic assists, including Humphrey's service ace at 16-6 and Gooch's kill at 13-5, ultimately closing the set with Mansell's decisive kill.
Mosley led ETBU with 14 kills on 19 attempts, achieving a hitting percentage of .579 and contributing 15.5 points. Gooch was efficient offensively, recording four kills on six attempts for a .667 hitting percentage, and added two block assists. Server contributed significantly on defense with four block assists and also added two service aces.
ETBU will host the Tiger Invite on September 5th-6th in Marshall, Texas, with teams University of Dallas, Carroll, Belhaven, and Concordia Texas.
