AUSTIN, Texas – A fierce rally by the McMurry University volleyball team fell just short in a five-set loss at Concordia University-Texas. The War Hawks (9-6, 2-4 ASC) were defeated by the Tornados in set scores of 26-28, 17-25, 25-16, 25-22, 14-16 at Concordia Arena.
 
At the outset, it appeared as though the evening might be shorter than hoped for McM, as then host Tornados blew out to a 2-0 lead in the match score. In set one, the two teams battled blow-for-blow before – with the score tied at 26-26 – CTX put up two unanswered points to take set one. Concordia then won the second more handily. But McMurry – with its back to the wall – won the third and fourth sets, to force the deciding fifth set.
 
McM trailed at the fifth-set switch over, 8-7.  The Tornados went on a 4-1 run to take the commending advantage, 12-8, in the match to 15.  But the War Hawks refused to go away, A kill by Jasmine Jones got the ball back into McM's hands, followed by a block solo from Jordyn Burnell and a kill from Madison Reed to draw to within one, 12-11.  A CTX attack error knotted matters at 12-12.
 
The teams traded points, keeping things tight.  With the deciding set tied 14-14, a Tornados' kill and service ace put the match in their win column.
 
The setback overshadowed a career night from the junior Jones.  Jones, an outside hitter, had a career-high (and match high) 21 kills, sporting a .298 attack average. She also had nine digs and a block.
 
Sophomore Justice McGowan has 13 kills and a .265 attack average. McGowan also had seven digs and a three blocks. Burnell had 10 kills and a team-best four blocks.
 
As a team, McM had 113 digs, led by Christian Brown's 35. Libero Odalis Rodriguez had 22 digs.
 
Setter Emarie James had 31 assists, while Lauryn Davis chipped in 22.