TYLER, Texas - Squaring off against their first ranked opponent of the year, the LeTourneau University volleyball team would go toe-to-toe with number 23 Texas-Tyler before dropping a three-set match to the Patriots by a score of 25-23, 25-18, 25-18 at the Herrington Patriot Center in Tyler, Texas on Tuesday, September 11th. 

The defeat leaves LETU with a 3-5 overall record while the Patriots improved to 7-1 overall on the season with their only defeat coming against defending National Champions Claremont Mudd-Scripps in five sets. 
 
"This group has proven that nothing will stop them from going after what they want" said head coach Ashley Tiernan in a post-match interview. "We played hard tonight and fought for every point." "We are battling some injuries and sickness and are having players being forced to step into other positions." "The whole team has rallied around each other and their tenacity to work as a family has been a huge factor in our progress moving forward."

How It Happened:

• A statement would be made early by the YellowJackets as freshman Kianna Crow would break open a 4-3 LETU lead with back-to-back kills as part of a 4-1 run for YellowJackets to force a Patriot timeout at 8-4.
• The match would become tied at 11-11 in the first set as UTT battled their way back into the match to reclaim the lead, but saw LETU match them point-for-point with six straight ties to put things at 16 all.
• Three of the next four points would go in favor of Texas-Tyler and allow the Patriots to take a 19-17 lead before a comeback for LETU saw the YellowJackets reclaim the lead at 23-22.
• Despite the effort, UTT would manage to take advantage of a LeTourneau service error as the final three points of the set would be won by the Patriots to take the first set 25-23.
• Taking momentum from the end of the first set, Texas-Tyler managed to open up an early 8-4 lead on the YellowJackets and never look back in set two as LETU never could overcome a slow start offensively.
• LETU would get no closer than three points at 15-12 as runs by the Patriots allowed UTT to claim a 25-18 set victory and go up two sets to zero in the match.
• The third set would once again find the YellowJackets and Patriots locked into a tight battle as neither team would be able to secure a lead of more than two points throughout the first 22 points of the set.
• With the score tied at 10-10, Texas-Tyler managed a 5-1 run to open up a 15-11 lead and continue to build on their lead which would force a LeTourneau timeout at 18-13 as the YellowJackets needed to find a spark to get back in the match.
• A comeback would not be in store for LETU however as the Patriots found a way to pull away for a 25-18 victory and claim the match.

Key Stats:

• Service aces would prove to be a spark for Texas-Tyler throughout the night as the Patriots would hold a 10-4 advantage at the service line. Two of the service aces would come in the first set to help UTT overcome a .136 attack percentage in the set.
• Both the Patriots and YellowJackets would use a balanced effort from their squad throughout, with 15 total players recording at least one kill in the match. Freshman Natalie Connelly would lead all players in the match with 11 kills on 18 attempts, and also add one block on the night.
• Other key contributors for the LETU in the loss were freshman Kianna Crow with 10 kills and Cameron Taylor with a team-high 15 assists while Audrey Galindo added two service aces.

What's Next?
American Southwest Conference action officially gets underway for LeTourneau on Friday evening as the YellowJackets will travel to Pineville, Louisiana to take on Louisiana College at 7 p.m. The match will be the third-ever meeting between the Wildcats and YellowJackets as LETU took both matches last year in LC's first season of competition.