Box Score:

 
ABILENE, Texas – LeTourneau volleyball keeps its winning streak alive as it downed Hardin-Simmons (25-15, 22-25, 25-23, 25-23) Tuesday night at the Mabee Complex.

LETU has now won seven matches in a row, improving to 13-5 overall and 8-3 in the American Southwest Conference. Hardin-Simmons drops to 6-7, 5-7 ASC.

The YellowJackets came out stinging in the first set, jumping out to a 10-4 lead when Avery Mabery and Kianna Crow slammed down back-to-back kills, forcing a Hardin-Simmons timeout. LETU kept the ball rolling going on a 5-0 run, taking a 16-5 advantage over the Cowgirls. HSU's Taylor Salone had a kill to pull the set within six, but a slight 3-0 run led by a dynamic rejection from Hannah Payan and Allison Smith extended the Jacket lead nine, 20-11. The Cowgirls put together a run of its own after back-to-back kills by Helena Vazquez and Alicia Becerra, shortening the YellowJacket cushion to five. Payan striked again for LETU when she hammered down a ball to spark a 5-0 run, giving the Jackets a 1-0 match lead.

LeTourneau had 13 kills and three errors on 33 attempts, creating a match-high .303 attack rate in the set. Hardin-Simmons had 10 kills and nine errors on 43 attempts, hitting .023.

After falling in the second set, LETU bounced back in a crucial third in a set that featured 12 ties and six lead changes. LETU sprung ahead when Crow and Skylar Fowler blasted back-to-back kills on the HSU side of the net, giving the Jackets a 9-7 lead. Three kills in a row by Hardin-Simmons put the Cowgirls ahead by one, but a putaway by Natalie Connelly from Courtney Edge knotted the set at 10. Smith punched home a kill from Reina Lawson, granting LETU a one-point advantage, but an attack error by the YellowJackets tied the set at 16. HSU's Lauren Sullivan had a kill to put the Cowgirls up one again, but a 3-0 surge led by an Edge serving ace gave the YellowJackets a two-point lead, 21-19. The Cowgirls took advantage of an LETU service error and added a kill by Salone to deadlock the match at 21. Fowler and Connelly smashed down a pair of kills to ignite a 4-2 run, capped off by an explosive block from Connelly and Mabery to take the set.

The YellowJackets pounded down a match-high 14 kills, while holding HSU to a .140 attack rate.

A block by Fowler and Smith lifted the YellowJackets ahead, 11-9, in the decisive fourth set. The Cowgirls would not go away, creating a 4-0 run behind putaways from Salone and Vazquez, springing ahead of the Jackets, 16-14. After back-to-back attack errors committed by HSU, LeTourneau took a 19-18 advantage. LETU perpetrated an attack error of its own and a serving ace by the Cowgirls gave Hardin-Simmons a one-point lead, 22-21. Two crucial kills by Payan from Edge and Natalie Davenport, sandwiched by a setting error from HSU, putting the Jackets one away from match point, 24-22. Hardin-Simmons chances of a comeback were stifled after an attack error gave the YellowJackets the match win.

Inside the Numbers:
Crow had 15 kills and 11 digs, notching her eight double-double of the season to lead the Jacket offense.
Edge led the team with 27 digs. Edge also had a career-high 13 assists and two serving aces.
Mabery tallied nine putaways and had four blocks, tying her season high.
Davenport and Lawson both had 15 assists apiece.
Payan and Fowler pounded five and four kills, respectively.
Connelly had seven blocks, while Smith and Mabery had five and four, respectively.
Edge posts her first double-double on the season, while Davenport put together her third.
LETU outblocked HSU 12-11. Both teams totaled 46 kills.

Up Next:
LeTourneau caps off its four-match road tenure Wednesday at McMurry at 6 p.m.