TYLER, Texas - Looking to gain momentum heading into the final two weeks of the regular-season, the LeTourneau University volleyball team fell in straight sets to Howard Payne University and number 24 nationally-ranked University of Mary Hardin-Baylor at the American Southwest Conference Crossover Tournament held at the Herrington Patriot Center in Tyler, Texas on Saturday, October 13th. 

With three matches left in the regular-season, LETU is now 7-17 overall and 4-8 in the ASC. 

How It Happened vs. Howard Payne:

• An early start to the match would prove to play into the favor of Howard Payne as a 5-0 run would force a LeTourneau timeout before finally getting on the scoreboard with a kill from Natalie Connelly.
• LETU continued to cut into the HPU lead and put the score at 5-3, but give Howard Payne a 7-2 run to extend their lead to 12-5.
• The HPU lead would continue to grow in the set, getting to as many as nine at 19-10 and again at 20-11 as LeTourneau could not overcome the hole that was dug.
• A back-and-forth start to the second set LETU and HPU trade leads before tying things up at 7-7 and again at 12-12.
• HPU would then score two quick points before giving up a 3-0 run to LeTourneau who would take a 15-14 lead with another tie coming at 15-15.
• Four of the next five points would then be scored by LETU to put the score at 19-16 before the lead grew to a set-high four points at 21-17.
• A 4-1 Howard Payne run brought the set back within a single point at 22-21 as things would get tied again at 24-24 to force extra points.
• LETU would trade points with HPU in the extra points, missing out on closing the set on set point on two separate occasions before seeing Howard Payne end the set by scoring four of the final five points to take a 29-27 set victory.
• LeTourneau managed to open the third set by scoring five of the first eight points to take a 5-3 lead, but saw Howard Payne respond with a 6-1 run to claim a 9-6 lead.
• Following an LETU timeout, LeTourneau would score two of the next three points to close within two at 10-8, but see Howard Payne go on a 3-0 run to push the lead back out to five at 13-8.
• Battling their way back once again, LETU closed the HPU lead to just a single point at 18-17 heading into the final stretch of the set before seeing Howard Payne use a 4-0 run to put the lead back at five.
• Despite scoring five of the final eight points, LeTourneau would be unable to close the gap enough as HPU's lead would hold for a 25-22 victory to end the match.

Key Stats:

• HPU used seven service aces and 10 blocks to come away with the victory as LeTourneau would record just five total blocks in the match.
• Kianna Crow nearly missed out on a double-double, finishing with 13 kills and seven digs while Cam Taylor and Lexie Welton each recorded two service aces.

How It Happened vs. UMHB

• Playing their second ranked opponent of the week, LETU once again would get off to a slow start as the Crusaders would score seven of the first eight points to jump out to an 8-1 lead before a Taylor kill managed to stop the run.
• The side out would quickly be erased by Mary Hardin-Baylor as an 8-1 run put the YellowJackets in a 15-3 hole that would be too large to overcome in a 25-12 loss.
• Looking to bounce back from the first-set loss, LeTourneau would manage to hold their own against the Cru in the opening stages to tie the set at 4-4 and 6-6.
• UMHB would then use a 5-0 run that would be followed up by a 3-0 LETU run to put the score at 10-9 in favor of the Cru, with LeTourneau eventually managing to tie the set at 12-12.
• Four of the next five points would be scored by Mary Hardin-Baylor to open up a 16-13 lead on the YellowJackets, but LeTourneau would not shy away as a 5-2 run capped off by a Mikayla Thomas kill tied the set for the final time at 18-18.
• The rally and momentum for LETU would end there however, as UMHB put together a 7-1 run that included the final five points of the set to pull away for a 25-19 victory.
• Facing a 4-1 deficit in the third set, LETU would use a 4-0 run to take a 5-4 lead on the Cru as the YellowJackets looked to get back into the match with a set victory.
• UMHB responded with four of the next five points to reclaim the lead at 8-6 before eventually pushing their lead to 11-7.
• Following another kill from Thomas to give LETU the serve while facing an 11-8 deficit, UMHB managed to go on an 11-0 run to open up a commanding 22-8 lead as the Cru earned a 25-9 set victory.

Key Stats:

• LETU would record 18 attack errors as the Cru managed to put up 10 blocks on the YellowJackets and hold a 4-1 advantage in service aces.
• LETU would be led by Crow offensively, recording nine kills while junior Julie Smith had six kills and seven digs.

What's Next?
The final home match of the 2018 season will take place on Tuesday, October 16th for LeTourneau when they play host to Texas-Dallas. The Comets are 15-7 overall and 10-1 in the ASC after winning three matches in the other ASC Crossover Tournament that they hosted in Richardson, Texas this weekend.