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ABILENE, Texas - For the third-straight year McMurry will face East Texas Baptist in the opening round of the American Southwest Conference Tournament. Friday at noon in Richardson, McMurry will take on the Tigers as the No. 3 seed from the ASC West Division while ETBU enters the tournament as the No. 2 seed from the East Division.

McMurry finished the season with a 17-11 overall record and a 12-6 mark in league play. McMurry's entry was thanks to Hardin-Simmons' win over Schreiner Saturday. Had the Mountaineers defeated HSU, McMurry would have been left out of the tournament for the first time since the 2006 season.

“I don't recall ever having been in the situation where our postseason fate was in the hands of another team,” said McMurry head coach Cammie Petree who is in her 14th season. “Although it turned out in our favor this year, I do hope we're never in this position again I would much rather take care of business early on and rely on our own ability to get there than to have to let someone else determine our destiny.”

Nonetheless, McMurry was traveling back to Abilene from Alpine after sweeping Sul Ross State in three sets to close the regular season when the team heard the news that Schreiner had lost to HSU.

“I was very excited -- and relieved -- when we heard the good news. We knew that Schreiner was going to do everything possible to win that match,” said Petree. “But, we also knew that Hardin-Simmons got to be number one in the ASC West by winning, and that they were going to do their best to shut them down and win again.”

ETBU finished with a 20-10 overall record and a 13-4 mark in league play. The Tigers finished behind the tournament hosts, UT-Dallas, for second place in the east division as the Comets were 17-0 and a perfect 23-0 overall headed into Friday's tournament.

In 2007, McMurry defeated the Tigers in five sets in the opening round of the ASC Tournament before falling to HSU in the semi-finals. Then in 2008, the Tigers returned the favor ousting McMurry in the opening round to end McMurry's season.

In 2009, the teams met in Abilene at the second of two yearly ASC Crossover Tournaments each season and McMurry defeated the Tigers in five sets Oct. 16.

“We are looking forward to meeting up with ETBU again.  I think the fact that we beat them earlier in the year has given the team additional confidence,” Petree said. “If we will just focus and play aggressive, intelligent ball and bring our best game to the court we will  be successful.  I think the girls are very excited and ready to take this next step in our season.”

Should McMurry advance past the Tigers at Noon Friday, the team would play Hardin-Simmons, the No. 1 seed from the ASC West, in the semi-final round.