SEGUIN, TX - The McMurry War Hawks faced a tough conference road challenge, falling to the Texas Lutheran University Bulldogs in three sets (17-25, 19-25, 19-25) at Memorial Gymnasium. The loss moves the War Hawks' season record to 9-10 overall and 2-8 in SCAC play.
The War Hawk offense struggled to find rhythm against the Bulldogs across the three sets. Marcette Williams led the offense with a team-high eight kills, while Rylie Patterson was effective, contributing six kills. Madi Polasek added five kills, and Layleah Williams-Gibson contributed two kills, along with four kills from Jesi Warren.
Setting the attack was Alexis Dolton, who racked up a match-high 25 assists, highlighting her command of the offense despite the team's hitting struggles.
Defensively, the team totaled 64 digs. Libero Jalie Miller anchored the back row with a team-high 16 digs, supported by Isabela Dorsey with 14 digs and Williams with 11 digs. The War Hawks were competitive at the net, totaling 4.0 team blocks. Williams was involved in a solo block and one block assist, while Williams-Gibson contributed two block assists.
Set-by-Set Breakdown
Set 1 (17-25, Lost): McMurry and Texas Lutheran traded blows early, with the set remaining tight until the midpoint. Williams was key early on, putting down four kills in the frame. However, the War Hawks couldn't sustain their momentum as the offense struggled with errors.
Set 2 (19-25, Lost): Despite the offensive difficulties, Patterson led the team with three kills, and Williams added two kills. The War Hawks' defense stepped up, with Miller and Dorsey contributing multiple digs, but TLU pulled away late to win the set.
Set 3 (19-25, Lost): In the final set, McMurry's overall offense improved. Warren was strong in this frame, leading the offense with three kills, supported by two kills each from Polasek and Patterson. The team fought hard, but offensive errors proved too costly, allowing the Bulldogs to close out the set and secure the match sweep.
The War Hawks were unable to convert enough attacks against the Bulldogs, but they displayed strong defensive effort, especially in the back row. They will look to get back in the win column next weekend during the second SCAC Crossover Tournament of the season at Solheim Arena in Longview. McMurry will start the tournament against the University of Ozarks on Saturday, October 25th at 9:00 a,.m.
