LONGVIEW, Texas -- The LeTourneau volleyball team opened its home schedule and conference play on Friday night with a 3-0 loss (25-22, 25-20, 25-18) to visiting Mary Hardin-Baylor inside Solheim Arena.

The match was the first of nine home contests for LeTourneau (0-6, 0-1 ASC) this season.

A crowd of over 300 packed into Solheim and the YellowJackets fed off the energy in the first set, but could not overcome Mary Hardin-Baylor as the Cru remained undefeated on the year at 9-0.

Emma Smith, Kaci Monk, and Yari Ortiz all had eight kills apiece for the YellowJackets in the loss, with Monk hitting .333. Hannah Payan added six kills while Reina Lawson totaled 16 assists and five digs. Grace Talkington notched a double-double with 11 assists and 10 digs with Morgan Nix leading LeTourneau with 17 digs. Allison Smith totaled four blocks (one solo, three assisted) as she climbs closer to the program record for career total blocks.

LeTourneau trailed by as many as eight in the opening set, but stormed back to cut the deficit to 23-22. The 12-5 scoring run was capped by a kill from Ortiz and a combined block from Allison Smith and Ortiz to get the YellowJackets within one. The Cru had the answer with a kill from Hannah Frasca, one of a match-high 14, before a block ended the set.

Mary Hardin-Baylor led throughout the second set after opening up a 4-0 lead and held off another LeTourneau rally late in the frame to take a 2-0 match lead after a 25-20 victory.

The Cru then posted a match-high 20 kills in the third to complete the sweep with a 25-18 win.

Frasca had 17 digs to go with her 14 kills to lead the Cru. Kendall Harrington added 40 assists, five kills, and three blocks.

UP NEXT

LeTourneau returns to action on Saturday to face Concordia Texas (1 p.m.).

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