Box Score:

ABILENE, Texas – LeTourneau volleyball dropped its fourth American Southwest Conference matchup of the season Wednesday night against McMurry (25-19, 20-25, 10-25, 21-25) at Kimbrell Arena.

LETU falls to 13-6 overall, 8-4 in the ASC. McMurry improves to 5-9, 3-6 ASC.

The YellowJackets and War Hawks are now 1-1 against each other in the regular season, with LETU downing McMurry back on Oct. 1 at Solheim Arena.

The Jackets carried yesterday's momentum from its win at Hardin-Simmons right over to the first set of tonight's contest, jumping out to an 8-5 lead when Courtney Edge tallied a serving ace and Natalie Connelly hammered down a kill from Reina Lawson. The War Hawks soared back knotting the match at eight after a service ace from Megan Martinez, but a big block by Avery Mabery and Natalie Connelly propelled the Jackets up one. A 3-0 surge by McMurry gave the War Hawks a slight two-point advantage, 11-9. Mabery slammed down a ball from Natalie Davenport to shorten the cushion to one, 12-11. After a crucial service error committed by the War Hawks, LETU would spark a 5-0 run, forcing McMurry into four straight attack errors, giving LeTourneau the lead, 16-13. Back-to-back kills from Hannah Payan and Lawson, sandwiched by a rejection from Connelly, extending the Jacket lead to five, 19-14. LeTourneau never looked back as it led the rest of the set, taking a 1-0 advantage heading into the second.

The YellowJackets held McMurry a -.049 hitting percentage in the set, while pounding down 11 kills for a .143 attack rate.

The War Hawks bounced back in the second set, knotting the match at 1-1. McMurry held LETU to a match-low nine kills, while banging home 15 kills.

LeTourneau fell behind early in the third set, 7-3, but the combination of kill and assist by Allison Smith and Lawson pulled the Jackets within two, 7-5. McMurry sparked a 4-0 run led by kills from Haygen Fleming and Madison Cuellar, extending the lead to eight, 14-6. Payan and Davenport would try to get the ball back rolling for LETU as they both smashed down kills, but a kill from Kaylie Vasil ignited another 4-0 McMurry run. Smith had a putaway from Davenport to halt the run, but a 5-0 run by the War Hawks capped off the set, granting McMurry a 2-1 lead.

The War Hawks hit .393, while holding LETU to a -.027 attack rate. McMurry totaled 11 kills in the set with zero errors.

The YellowJackets surrendered the six out of the first eight points in the decisive fourth set. LETU stung its way back after two attack errors from McMurry and a putaway by Payan from Davenport brought the Jackets within one. Crow blasted down two balls to tie the set at nine, but a kill from Cuellar fueled a 4-0 McMurry run, pushing the War Hawks ahead, 13-9. LeTourneau put together its own run after Connelly smashed down a kill to start a 4-0 run. In the run, two costly attack errors by McMurry and kills from Mabery and Payan catapulted LETU ahead by one, 18-17. The War Hawks would strike again, constructing a 5-0 run to ultimately end the hopes of a YellowJackets comeback.

Inside the Numbers:
Crow led the offensive attack with 12 kills. Crow also had 16 digs, three assists and a block.
Payan hammered 10 kills, while Mabery smashed down seven kills with seven digs and three blocks.
Davenport totaled 22 assists. Lawson had 11 assists.
Edge had 21 digs, while Kylie Cobb put together 12.
Connelly led the team along with Mabery with three blocks.
LeTourneau had 43 kills, while McMurry tallied 54. The War Hawks outblocked the Jackets 7-6.
McMurry tallied 10 aces compared to LETU's one.

Up Next:
LeTourneau returns to Solheim Arena for its Pink Out match against UT-Dallas Saturday at 2 p.m.