ABILENE, Texas – McMurry University Volleyball cruised to a 4-0 record inside Kimbrell Arena on Tuesday night, completing a six-set doubleheader sweep of American Southwest Conference rival Howard-Payne.

The War Hawks (4-0, 4-0) have now won 10 straight home matches dating back to last year and are off to a 4-0 start for a fourth straight season.

Howard Payne falls to 2-4 overall and 0-4 in the conference.

GAME 1 – McMurry 3, Howard Payne 0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-9)

Summary: The War Hawks had 10 service aces and a 44-24 kill advantage en route to a dominate victory over the Yellow Jackets. Additionally, McM turned in a .359 hitting percentage with only 11 attack errors all match. Freshman Madison Cuellar was the star of the match, picking up her second double-double in four contests with 11 kills and 11 digs. Senior Brynn Wilson added a team-best 15 assists and eight digs, while Tyler Richardson and Kaylie Vasil each totaled nine kills. Sophomore Adile Leal led McMurry with 13 digs.

Set 1: The War Hawks lost the first two points of the opening frame, but got back on top quickly and took a commanding 21-8 lead late in the set. Later trailing 24-12, HPU went on a 4-0 run to keep things alive, but the final kill by Tyler Richardson put a stamp on it. Richardson and Kaylie Vasil each had four kills in the set. Vasil, Brynn Wilson and Megan Martinez had two aces apiece.

Set 2: A competitive set early on, McMurry led 13-12 at one point. From that point on, the War Hawks took control with a dominant 9-0 run that involved five kills and four HPU attack errors. The Yellow Jackets scattered a few more points in the set, but would fall 25-17. McMurry had 18 kills in the set, including first eight points. Richardson, Martinez and freshman Addyson Tiffin had four kills each.

Set 3: The final frame never seemed to be in doubt, as McMurry led 17-4 through the first 21 points. The final kill came off the hand of Cuellar on an assist from Adile Leal. McMurry had 13 kills with zero attack errors, as well as three aces in the set. Cuellar led the way in each category with six kills and two aces.

GAME 2 – McMurry 3, Howard Payne 0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-21)

Summary: The second game was a lot more competitive, despite the sweep, as HPU took McMurry to the brink in the final frame. McMurry had a 31-19 advantage in kills and a 58-48 edge in digs. Richardson and Tiffin totaled six kills, while Martinez finished with five. Brynn Wilson picked up the double-double with an impressive 20 assists and 14 digs. Leal led the team in digs once again, racking up 15.

Set 1: McMurry jumped to an early 3-0 lead coming out of the intermission and maintained a three-point lead most of the way through mid-set. HPU came back and tied it up at 13-13 with a kill from Mitsue Rodriguez, but then surrendered a devastating 8-0 run. Ahead 21-13, McMurry rolled to match point with help from three HPU errors and a kill by Martinez to boot. McM had 11 kills in the set from its usual suspects, but also added two from freshman Brooke Cox.

Set 2: The second frame went back and forth early on, but McMurry strode ahead with a small 4-0 run while tied 5-5. Eventually, McMurry used another 4-0 run to take a 24-12 lead, with Cox earning the last two points of that run on a kill and a service ace. HPU added three points to stay alive, but the final kill from Vasil on an assist from fellow freshman Aubrie Sibley put the set away.

Set 3: The last set was the toughest one, but the War Hawks powered through for the sweep with six straight points to end it. McMurry did not trail in the set until falling behind 15-14, as HPU overcame a 13-9 deficit by scoring six of the next seven points. Their run came to a halt on a service error while ahead 21-19, as McMurry scored the final six with five straight kills. Leal snuck one past the defense to tie the set, then Tiffin and Martinez capped the match with two kills each.  

UP NEXT

The War Hawks return to action on Wednesday, March 3 with a doubleheader at Mary Hardin-Baylor, with first serve set for 5 p.m. Both teams enter with 4-0 records, as UMHB owns wins over Howard Payne and Hardin-Simmons.