LONGVIEW, Texas -- LeTourneau volleyball dropped an absolute heartbreaker to the Hendrix Warriors on Sunday afternoon.

The YellowJackets fell 3-2 (25-14, 20-25, 23-25, 25-21, 18-16) to the Warriors, moving to 10-5 on the 2025 campaign, with a 2-1 record in the SCAC. 

This 10-5 record for the halfway mark of the regular season matches a program-best for a 15-match start in the NCAA-era (1998). 

Emma Smith led the way for LeTourneau with a career-best 13 kills (.353) while Meghan Womack threw down 11 kills and Logan Lear added 10 kills. Smith also added six blocks.

Emily Mullin made her presence known all over the court, with six kills (.333), a career-high 23 assists, and five service aces. 

Nora Lockhart led the match with seven blocks, Ashlyn Walther stuffed five attacks, and Womack added four of her own. 

Maddy Hirneise led the match with 26 digs, adding five assists. Kaylyn Taylor had a career-high 16 digs in the contest. 

Following a Hendrix (10-1, 4-0 SCAC) dominated first set, the momentum would swing with every touch of the ball.

LeTourneau would pull out to an early 12-6 lead, but after a few back-and-forths, the Warriors would string together an 8-1 run to regain the lead. 

The YellowJackets would answer with back-to-back Lear kills, and proceed to clinch the set 25-20 on a Mullin ace to bring the match to 1-1.

Hendrix would open up the third set with a four-point run, which proceeded to be the only run of that length the entire set. Four would also be the biggest lead of the set by either team.

LeTourneau would take the lead late into the seesaw, off a block by Walther and Womack, making it 23-22. The YellowJackets would finally take the set 25-22 off a Warrior attack error.

With a 2-1 set lead, LeTourneau held an 18-14 lead in the fourth, but the Warriors would scrap together an 11-3 run to finish the set off and force a fifth and final set.

The final set was nothing short of a spectacle, as momentum refused to be at a standstill. 

The YellowJackets had an opportunity to shut the doors at 14-12, but Hendrix had other plans, ripping off a pair of kills and a block to force extra points.

LeTourneau would hold on for a few points, but at 16-16 the Warriors completed back-to-back attacks to win the final set 18-16.

Hendrix was led by Hailey Gripka with 18 kills (.517) and Riley Brady with 13 kills and 17 digs. Adilynn Henry threw out 32 assists.

UP NEXT

Volleyball travels to Seguin next weekend for a trio of matches at the SCAC Crossover, hosted by Texas Lutheran. 

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