HAWKINS, Texas – Despite winning the third set in convincing fashion, the LeTourneau University volleyball team would be unable to dig themselves out of a two sets to zero hole as the YellowJackets would fall in four sets at Jarvis Christian College at the Rand Center in Hawkins, Texas on Tuesday, September 4th.
 
Scores of the match were 22-25, 23-25, 25-10, 23-25. LeTourneau now sits at 0-3 overall while the Bulldogs improved to 3-5 overall.
 
"Mental errors were a big factor tonight" said head coach Ashley Tiernan in a post-game interview. "We had a better hitting percentage and 13 more kills than Jarvis Christian, but when the plays got chaotic we just weren't smart with the ball." "We have work to do and can only build and learn from tonight."
 
How It Happened:

• A tightly contested first set saw neither team able to jump out to more than a four-point lead throughout the set.
• After trailing 14-10 midway through the set, the YellowJackets would rattle off five straight points with junior Audrey Galindo at the service line to claim a one point lead at 16-15.
• Jarvis Christian managed to reclaim the lead at 21-19 and force an LETU timeout, before seeing LeTourneau tie the match at 21-21 and 22-22. The Bulldogs managed to score the final three points of the set to take the set 25-22.
• Things stayed just as tight in the second set with both teams settled in but yet unable to find a way to break away from the other.
• Trailing by a score of 14-11, LETU would once again find a way to go on a quick 4-0 rally capped off by a kill from freshman Lexie Welton.
• Down the stretch would prove to be about as close as you can get with ties occurring at 21-21, 22-22, and 23-23, but once again JCC would find a way to score the final points of the set when it mattered most to claim a 25-23 set victory.
• Needing a win to stay alive in the match, LeTourneau wasted no time in the third set after scoring seven of the first eight points of the set and forcing a Bulldog timeout.
• Jarvis Christian would close the deficit to no less than six points at 10-4, watching LETU manage to hit .400 in the set and run away with a 25-10 set victory to move to a fourth set.
• It would appear as though the Bulldogs would be the team to run away with the fourth set after scoring five straight points to open the set, but LETU would find a way to settle in and tie the match at 9-9.
• A deadlock would once again be found at 15-15, but Jarvis would manage to score the next four points as the Bulldogs appeared poised to close out the match.
• Trailing by a score of 22-18, the YellowJackets would make one final push at a comeback and get within two at 23-21, but see two of the final three points fall in favor of Jarvis Christian to end the match after four sets.

Key Stats:

• Outside of the third set that saw the YellowJackets commit only one attack error, LETU would see errors be their undoing as the other three sets had no less than seven attack errors in each set.
• Blocks would be another key area that LeTourneau would struggle with in the match, as Jarvis Christian held a 7-3 block advantage.
• Sophomore Cam Taylor nearly missed out on a new career-high, dishing out 23 assists and adding three digs in the match while Mikayla Thomas had a team-best 12 kills.
• Freshman Kianna Crow notched her first double-double of her career, finishing the match with 21 digs and 10 kills while adding five service aces.

What's Next?
A first look at American Southwest Conference competition in non-conference action is up next for LETU as the YellowJackets travel to Sherman, Texas to play in four matches at the Austin College Invitational. Action will get underway at 2 p.m. on Friday, September 7th against Howard Payne University.