LONGVIEW, Texas -- LeTourneau volleyball fell in four sets to UT Dallas on Friday evening (25-23, 15-25, 28-26, 25-22).

LeTourneau moves to 7-9, while UT Dallas improves to 5-3.

Yari Ortiz collected 16 kills and Grace Talkington notched 23 assists to spark the offense, while Morgan Nix earned 31 digs and Allison Smith had three aces and three blocks.

In the first set, following a 5-0 Comets run, the YellowJackets responded with a couple of small runs of their own, closing the gap to three points. LeTourneau later pulled to within 1, 24-23, but a kill from Lauren Petty gave UT Dallas the 1-0 set advantage.

The YellowJackets countered with a howitzer of a punch, taking command with an early 6-2 run and pulling away from there, with Kylee Marksberry ending the set with a powerful kill to even matters at a set apiece, 25-15.

The third set was a nail-biter, with extra points being needed to determine a winner. LeTourneau had come back from being down 17-10 to take a 25-24 lead late, but that lead would not hold, with the Comets taking four of the next five points to earn the 2-1 set advantage, 28-26.

The YellowJackets valiantly attempted to come back and force a fifth set, closing a 24-19 gap to 24-22, but Alina Strickler's final attack found the hardwood floor to give UT Dallas the four-set victory.

The Comets leaders were Strickler in kills (16), Sydney Sabin in aces (7), Kira Braun in assists (20), and Mari Hernandez in digs (19).

UP NEXT

The YellowJackets conclude their homestand with an early afternoon match against ASC foe Mary Hardin-Baylor on Saturday at 1 p.m.

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