BELTON, Texas – The McMurry University Volleyball team kept its season alive with a five-set win over LeTourneau in the quarterfinal round of the American Southwest Conference Tournament on Friday, but saw its season come to a close following a 3-0 loss to Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton.
The War Hawks end a strong season with a 13-5 record, including a 7-1 record at the friendly confines of Kimbrell Arena.
GAME 1 – McMurry 3, LeTourneau 2 (21-25, 33-31, 21-25, 25-20, 15-11)
Summary: The quarterfinal matchup was about as even as could be, with McMurry coming out on top in five sets. The second set was the highlight of the day, as McMurry battled to a 33-31 set win to even the contest. The set was the longest in ASC Tournament history. The War Hawks had a slight 59-58 advantage in kills, while leading 12-5 in service aces. The team's three seniors led in different categories, including Kianni Mitchell led with 15 kills, Megan Martinez with five blocks and Brynn Wilson with 22 assists. Freshman Madison Cuellar had six aces, while sophomore libero Adile Leal had a team-best 23 digs.
Set 1: The first set went back and forth most of the way, with the turning point coming on a five-point swing by LeTourneau to go from an 11-8 deficit to a 13-11 lead. Four players had kills for the War Hawks in the set.
Set 2: The second set ended up being an important win for the War Hawks, as it ended in a long 33-31 victory. The score was tied 17 times in the set, but perhaps no tying point was bigger than Kianni Mitchell's kill to send the set to overtime down 25-24. The War Hawks were down to their final point thrice, but Megan Martinez came up clutch all three times with set-saving kills. Down 31-30, McMurry had to survive again, and did so thanks to a kill by Kaylie Vasil. Mitchell killed one to gain the advantage, then a ball handling error on the other side gave McMurry the set win. Both teams had 19 kills in the frame.
Set 3: The YellowJackets swarmed back following a tough set loss with an 8-1 run, but McMurry rallied back with a 6-0 run later to make it 14-13. LeTourneau ended up jumping back out to a 22-16 lead and would hold off the War Hawks for a 25-21 win in the swing set. Both teams had a 0.086 attack percentage with errors both ways. McMurry had an 11-10 advantage in kills.
Set 4: Needing the fourth set to survive, McMurry cleaned up its eight errors from the last set with just four in the fourth frame en route to a 25-20 set victory. Neither team led by more than three points in the set until the end, as McMurry turned a 22-20 advantage into an equalizer. Vasil picked up a kill to make it 23-20, then two LETU errors clinched the win for McMurry.
Set 5: McMurry trailed 7-4 in the final set, but never let their spirits down and battled back ahead with the longest rally of the match – a 9-0 run. Suddenly trailing 13-7, LeTourneau responded with three points in a row, but Megan Martinez set up a do-or-die situation with a kill from an Aubrie Sibley assist. After a Sibley error made it 14-11, the freshman setter corrected things and set up junior Tyler Richardson for the final kill. This would send McMurry to the ASC Semifinal.
GAME 2 – UMHB 3, McMurry 0 (14-25, 22-25, 26-28)
Summary: Though it didn't come easy, UMHB won all three sets of the semifinal round to advance to the championship round on its home court. The final set was the toughest, as McMurry fell 28-26 in a tough battle. The Lady Cru had a slight 42-40 edge in kills, while both teams had just two aces each. Adile Leal, Kaylie Vasil and Madison Cuellar each had 16 digs, while Mryanda Salcedo had 13 assists. Kianni Mitchell and Cuellar each finished with eight kills, while Megan Martinez added seven.
Set 1: The opening frame started tight, but ahead 11-10, UMHB took seven of the next eight points to make it 17-11 for a more-comfortable lead. The Lady Cru went on to lead 19-14 and ended the set with a 6-0 run. Martinez led with four kills in the set for McMurry.
Set 2: McMurry led most of set two early on, but UMHB eventually took a 14-13 lead and would remain ahead the rest of the way in a tight frame. The War Hawks tied it up 17-17 on a kill from Addyson Tiffin, then later worked back from a four-point deficit with three points in a row. Ahead 23-22, the Lady Cru clinched the 2-0 lead with a pair of kills.
Set 3: Down to its final set, McMurry battled in a back-and-forth affair that saw the score tied 18 times. At one point, McMurry led 16-13 and later 19-17, but UMHB eventually made it 24-23 to force a set point. The War Hawks survived on a kill by Megan Martinez and again evened the score at 25-25 on a UMHB attack error. Again down by a point, Mitchell saved the season with a kill from Aubrie Sibley. Unfortunately for the War Hawks, the final two points went the way of the home team, ending McMurry's storied season in the semifinal round.
