SHERMAN, Texas – McMurry University's volleyball squad opened the 2017 campaign with a pair of victories in the Austin College Classic. The War Hawks (2-0) topped Centenary College, 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-12), before winning a five-set marathon over host Austin College, 3-2 (25-14, 25-22, 16-25, 24-26, 15-11), and even managed one school record set during the evening match.
 
In the season lid-lifter against the Ladies of Centenary College, sophomore Justice McGowan picked up where she left off in 2016 after earning American Southwest Conference West Division co-Freshman of the Year accolades.  McGowan knocked down a game-leading nine kills, on just 11 attempts, for a .750 attack average.  She also had a match-high eight blocks.
 
Jordyn Burnell and Madison Reed each chipped in seven kills.
 
Sophomore setter Emarie James has 21 assists and five digs.  Lauryn Davis had 17 assists and seven digs. Libero Odalis Rodriguez and Jaelyn Green each had nine digs to handle matters in the back row. Davis also served up a pair of aces, as did teammate Khristyn Howard.
 
Versus Austin College, the War Hawks won the first two sets in convincing fashion and then had to withstand the Kangaroos' furious comeback bid. In the deciding fifth set, McM made just one attack error, while the 'Roos committed four miscues on the attack.
 
Jasmine Jones led a quartet of War Hawks with double-digit kills totals, registering 16.  Freshman Verlyncia Nelson was close behind with 14 kills.  McGowan and Burnell posted 11 and 10 kills, respectively.
 
McGowan continued to make opponents' experience at the net less-than-pleasant by chalking up eight more blocks (four solo).  Nelson had six block assists.
 
Davis set up a match-leading 32 assists, with James giving off 12 "helps". 
 
But the stat of the night was from Rodriguez, who had a school-record 46 digs against the Kangaroos. Rodriguez smashing the previous mark of 41, set by Danielle Bolin in the 2004 season.
 
The Austin Classic concludes on Saturday.  The War Hawks face Lawrence University (Wis.) at 10 a.m. and Paul Quinn College at 2 p.m.