LONGVIEW, TX - The McMurry War Hawks delivered a stellar performance at the SCAC Cross Over Tournament in Longview, completing a perfect Saturday with two victories. The War Hawks defeated the University of the Ozarks in four sets before battling LeTourneau University in an exhilarating five-set victory. The successful day moves McMurry's season record to 11-10 overall and 4-8 in SCAC play.

Match One: University of the Ozarks Eagles (W, 3-1)

The War Hawks took down the Ozarks Eagles with set scores of 24-10, 25-19, 17-25, and 25-18, driven by high-efficiency hitting.

The offense was highly productive. Layleah Williams-Gibson and Madi Polasek led the attack with 11 kills apiece. Carli Colbert also reached double-digit kills with 10. Setting up the offense was Colbert, who racked up a match-high 25 assists, with Alexis Dolton adding 17.

McMurry served aggressively, collecting nine total aces. Colbert led the charge with four aces, and Williams-Gibson added 2. Defensively, libero Jalie Miller anchored the back row with a team-high 19 digs, while Chloe Ukle contributed 18 digs and Colbert added 10. The War Hawks totaled 6.0 team blocks, with Marcette Williams, Williams-Gibson, Rylie Patterson, and Polasek all contributing block assists.

Set-by-Set Breakdown (vs. Ozarks)

• Set 1 (24-10, Won): The War Hawks dominated the opener with powerful serving and efficient hitting, allowing the Eagles just 10 points to secure the easy win.
• Set 2 (25-19, Won): McMurry continued its offensive rhythm. The attack was balanced, and the War Hawks closed out the set despite the Eagles fighting back midway through.
• Set 3 (17-25, Lost): The Eagles found their form in the third set, and McMurry's offense dipped. Errors piled up, and the Eagles took the set.
• Set 4 (25-18, Won): McMurry re-established control in the final set. Kills from Polasek and Colbert helped close out the set to seal the match victory.

Match Two: LeTourneau YellowJackets (W, 3-2)

In an intense five-set marathon, the War Hawks secured their second victory of the day against LeTourneau with set scores of 25-13, 25-22, 25-27, 25-27, and 15-10.

The offense maintained its high level of play, led by Polasek and Williams-Gibson, who each put down a team-high 13 kills. Williams was next with 10 kills, while Colbert added nine kills. Dolton commanded the attack with 36 assists, supported by Colbert with 27 assists.

The War Hawks were dominant at the net, accumulating a staggering 14.0 team blocks. Williams was a force, involved in 8 block assists. Polasek and Patterson each registered six block assists, and Williams-Gibson added five block assists. Defensively, Miller delivered a match-high 32 digs, backed by Shaely Rogers (14 digs) and Colbert (10 digs). Colbert also led the serving effort with four aces.

Set-by-Set Breakdown (vs. LeTourneau)

• Set 1 (25-13, Won): McMurry stormed out to a huge lead, hitting dominantly and holding LeTourneau to just 13 points, taking the quick opener.
• Set 2 (25-22, Won): The YellowJackets increased their fight, but timely kills and a strong block (4.0 blocks in the set) allowed the War Hawks to pull out the close set victory.
• Set 3 (25-27, Lost): In a tightly contested battle, the War Hawks couldn't close out the set, dropping the extended frame.
• Set 4 (25-27, Lost): The tension continued with the War Hawks again falling in extra points, pushing the match to a decisive fifth set.
• Set 5 (15-10, Won): McMurry regained control in the final frame, shutting down the YellowJackets' offense to secure the victory and the match win.

The War Hawks secured two important victories and displayed exceptional defensive prowess, particularly in their blocking. They will finish their play in the SCAC Crossover Tournament at Solheim Arena in Longview on Sunday, October 26, against Centenary College at 12:00 p.m.