ABILENE, TX — The McMurry War Hawks closed out their 2025 season with a tough conference home match, falling to the Schreiner Mountaineers in four sets (25-22, 22-25, 23-25, 21-25) at Kimbrell Arena. The final match moves the War Hawks' record to 13-14 overall and 5−11 in SCAC play for the year.
The War Hawks' offense tallied 53 kills in the four-set contest. Carli Colbert led the attack with a team-high 14 kills while adding 16 digs and 21 assists in a stellar all-around performance. Madi Polasek was highly efficient, contributing nine kills, and Marcette Williams and Shaely Rogers each added eight kills.
Setting up the offense were Colbert (21 assists) and Alexis Dolton (24 assists), showcasing a strong dual-setter effort throughout the match.
Defensively, the team totaled 111 digs. Jalie Miller anchored the defense with a match-high 34 digs. Colbert followed closely with 16 digs, and Rogers added 14 digs. From the service line, the team tallied four aces, with Rogers contributing 3 of them.
At the net, the War Hawks were competitive, totaling 11.0 blocks. Polasek was a major force, registering five block assists, followed by Layleah Williams-Gibson with four block assists and Williams with three block assists.
Set-by-Set Breakdown
Set 1 (25-22, Won): The War Hawks got off to a strong start, taking a back-and-forth opening set that featured seven score changes. Colbert and Williams paced the attack with five kills and three kills, respectively. The defense held strong, limiting the Mountaineers' attack, allowing McMurry to close the set and take the early lead.
Set 2 (22-25, Lost): Momentum shifted in the second set, which saw three tie scores. The offense managed 11 kills, with Polasek leading the scoring with five kills, but the Mountaineers proved too consistent, eventually edging out the War Hawks to even the match.
Set 3 (23-25, Lost): This was a tough battle, featuring seven tie scores and five lead changes. The War Hawks recorded 15 kills in the frame, led by Colbert's five kills and Polasek's four kills. Despite key rallies and a late ace from Rogers, the Mountaineers were able to hold on late to take the 2-1 lead.
Set 4 (21-25, Lost): In the final set, the Mountaineers maintained their momentum. While the offense managed 13 kills, defensive struggles and missed opportunities allowed Schreiner to pull ahead. Rogers was instrumental with four kills and an ace, but the Mountaineers closed the set to secure the 3-1 match victory.
