BROWNWOOD, Texas – For the second time this season, McMurry University's volleyball team defeated Howard Payne University, this time winning 3-0 (25-22, 25-17, 25-19) on the road. Earlier this season, the War Hawks (9-5) were stretched to five sets by the Yellow Jackets (1-13) in Abilene.
 
It was McMurry's sixth win versus American Southwest Conference competition this season. It was also the seventh shutout of a foe by McM head coach Cammie Petree's team.
 
In set No. 1, HPU held an early three-point, 7-4, lead and it would prove to be the Jackets biggest advantage of the entire match. The two teams stayed nip-and-tuck and HPU was able to hold a two-point cushion late, 20-18. 
 
A Bethany Holub kill got the War Hawks to within one, 20-19, before Morgan Thomas served up five straight winners to give McM the upper hand, 24-20. HPU tallied two points before an attack error by the hosts gave McMurry the 25-22 decision.
 
The War Hawks never trailed in set two and jumping out to a 5-1 lead.  The Yellow Jackets eventually tied the set at 8-8, but a 12-4 run gave the War Hawks a 20-12 lead.  McM would go on to win the set, 25-17, with Odalis Rodriguez serving three winning points at the end.
 
HPU hung within three to four points of McMurry for much of set three, but the Jackets could not stop the War Hawks' attackers. A Katy Headrick kill capped the set and match, 25-19.
 
Senior all-American Catherine Heath pounded out 13 kills for McM and had a team-best .529 attack average. Holub also posted double-digit kills with 10, to go along with 14 digs. Fellow senior Jessica Cory had seven kills and 10 digs, while Headrick chipped in eight kills and a solo block.
 
Thomas finished with a match-high 27 assists and nine digs. Madison Fatheree added 10 assists and four digs.
 
Rodriguez's 18 digs led either team on defense.
 
McMurry will next travel to Sul Ross State on Thursday, with a 7 p.m. start in Alpine.