MARSHALL, Texas — In their first American Southwest Confernece match of the season, East Texas Baptist University controlled the pace from start to finish, defeating Howard Payne 3-0 on Thursday at Ornelas Gymnasium. The match was decided by three two-point sets, with ETBU winning 25-23, 26-24, 27-25, moving to 8-3 on the year and 1-0 in the ASC.
Lara Hornsby led ETBU with 19.0 points and 14 kills, adding 12 digs, three solo blocks and two aces for another double-double.
Claire Stewart finished with a team-high 20 assists to go with seven digs and two aces.
Anita Hancock recorded eight kills on a .471 hitting percentage and added two blocks.
Sadie Kasowski collected 12 digs and added four assists and one ace.
ETBU overcame a late 22-20 deficit in the first set, tying it on blocks involving
Jenna McGuire and
Katherine Server before
Peyton LeJeune's service ace put the Tigers ahead 23-22. ETBU trailed earlier, 19-14, before kills from
McKinzie Riley, Hancock and
Allison Sims helped keep the set within reach. After Howard Payne cut it to 24-23, Hornsby finished the set with a kill from
Sydney Temple for a 25-23 win.
The Tigers erased a 5-0 deficit in the second set, winning seven of the next eight rallies with kills from Hornsby, Hancock and Riley before moving ahead 8-7 on Hornsby's kill. Howard Payne later pulled even at 24-24, but Server answered with a kill from Temple, and Hornsby closed the set with another Temple-assisted kill for a 26-24 ETBU win.
ETBU answered a late 24-23 deficit by taking four of the final five points, closing the third set with Hornsby's kill and Hancock's set-ending kill for a 27-25 finish. Earlier, the Tigers also erased a 12-10 hole, using two Server kills, a Riley service ace and a Sims kill to move in front 14-12 before carrying the set into a tight finish.
ETBU hosts Schreiner University on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 11 a.m. at Ornelas Gymnasium in Marshall, Texas, and Austin College at 3:00 p.m.
SET BREAKDOWNS
First Set
- ETBU moved ahead 12-9 behind four early kills from Hornsby and a block by Hornsby.
- Howard Payne answered from a 13-13 tie with a 6-1 stretch to move in front 19-14, then carried a 22-20 lead late in the set.
- The Tigers scored five of the final six points, tying the set on blocks by McGuire and Server before LeJeune's ace and two Hornsby kills finished a 25-23 win.
Second Set
- Howard Payne opened the set with five straight points before ETBU won seven of the next eight rallies, using kills from Hornsby, Hancock and Riley to move ahead 7-6.
- Howard Payne answered later with a run to go in front 14-12 and held a 16-13 lead before the Tigers scored four straight, including two Stewart aces and a Hornsby block, to take a 17-16 edge.
- The teams traded points late until ETBU moved ahead 24-22 on a Server kill and a Riley ace, but Howard Payne came back to tie the set at 24-24.
- Server put the Tigers back in front with a kill, and Hornsby followed with the final kill to close out the 26-24 set win.
Third Set
- Howard Payne moved ahead 8-5 early and later led 12-10 before ETBU answered with kills from Server and Sims around a Riley ace to go in front 14-12.
- The set stayed tight from there, with Howard Payne tying it at 15-15 and the teams trading points through a 21-21 tie.
- After Howard Payne moved ahead 23-21, Server delivered back-to-back kills to pull the Tigers even, and the set moved past 25-25.
- Hornsby put ETBU ahead 26-25 with a kill, and Hancock followed with the final kill to close out the 27-25 set win.
ETBU Top Performers
Lara Hornsby
- team-high 19.0 points
- team-high 14 kills
- 12 digs
- 3 solo blocks
Claire Stewart
- team-high 20 assists
- 7 digs
- 2 service aces
Anita Hancock
- 8 kills on .471 hitting
- 10.5 points
- 2 blocks, including 1 solo
- 1 service ace
Sadie Kasowski
- 12 digs
- 4 assists
- 1 service ace
