RICHARDSON, Texas -- LeTourneau University's volleyball journey reached its final stage Friday night after the YellowJackets fell to Mary Hardin-Baylor, 25-14, 11-25, 25-20, 25-22, in the American Southwest Conference Championship semifinals at the University of Texas at Dallas.

The loss ended the best season in the NCAA era as the Jackets finished 18-14. UHMB (24-7) moved on to the championship match.

"We came out on fire in the first set, we were on top the whole time," coach Mallory Matthews said. "Every single game after that, they left it all on the court and fought really hard every single set."

The YellowJackets blitzed the Cru, which has not lost a match to an ASC team this season, in the opening set with a .438 hitting percentage on 16 kills and two errors. The Jackets jumped out to a 12-5 lead after a kill by Lexie Welton. Mikayla Thomas slammed down a winner to make it 15-6. After the Cru cut it to 16-10, Thomas banged down another kill two serves later to push the lead back to eight. On top 22-14, LETU put the first set away on a kill by Natalie Connelly, another by Welton and an ace by Cam Taylor.

Mary Hardin-Baylor turned the tables in the second set, hitting .441 with 16 kills and one error, while LeTourneau was held to 10 kills and nine errors to square the match at 1-1.

LETU opened a 10-3 lead in the third, following a 7-0 run that included two straight kills by Kianna Crow and back-to-back blocks by Connelly and Welton. UHMB answered back, going on an 11-1 run to grab a 14-11 lead. A block by Natalie Davenport and Crow, a kill by Crow and an ace by Thomas pulled the YellowJackets within 18-17. Connelly's kill kept the YellowJackets within two before the Cru secured the next two points. Welton banged down a winner to cut it to 22-19, but the Cru won three of the last four points to win the pivotal set.

LeTourneau had eight kills and eight errors in the set. Mary Hardin-Baylor had 13 kills and nine errors.

In the fourth set, Taylor Smith's kill and subsequent UHMB attack error put LETU in front, 12-9. Connelly and Davenport's combination block extended the lead to 15-11 before the Cru went on a 5-0 run to take control. A putaway by Crow kept the Jackets within, 18-17, but UHMB won the next three serves to pad the lead back to four. LETU cut it down to 22-20 on Smith's kill, and after the Cru got to match point, Thomas put the celebration on hold for a serve when she put down one of Davenport's 50 assists, to make it 24-22. But UHMB wrapped it up on the next point. 

"No one expected us to do this," senior defensive specialist Audrey Galindo said after recording 11 digs in her final match. "We just came out and performed, and we did it all together."

The YellowJackets hit .197 in the fourth set on 18 kills and six errors, while the Cru had a .259 attack percentage on 19 kills and four errors.

Crow finished with 23 kills and 19 digs, and hit .242. Thomas had 12 kills and an ace. 

"Coming in, everybody was buying into the culture we're trying to build, a winner's attitude, just knowing to never be satisfied," Thomas said. 

Connelly had seven kills and three blocks. Davenport added 14 digs and two blocks. Taylor had 22 digs and an ace. 

"This year, everyone came in, filled in a role, and kept that role," Taylor said. "We just all were in it. It was completely different, and it's going to change the history of our culture."

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Jillian Via, UT Dallas (MVP)
Kianna Crow, LeTourneau
Kayla Janikula, Mary Hardin-Baylor
Sarah Paolini, Mary Hardin-Baylor
Lauren Schilling, UT Dallas
Caroline Shecterle, UT Dallas
Lianne Vanydke, Concordia Texas