ABILENE, Texas - McMurry volleyball delivered a signature home win Friday night, roaring back after an opening-set stumble to defeat No. 16-ranked East Texas Baptist in four sets at Kimbrell Arena to claim their first conference win of the season.
The 11-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-23 triumph brought the home crowd to its feet and showcased the War Hawks' fight against one of the nation's premier programs.
Hanna Rubis led the War Hawk attack with a double-double, scoring a team-high 18 kills while digging 10.
Layleah Williams-Gibson made her presence felt all across the net, racking up 10 kills and three solo blocks. Setter
Grace Fortune orchestrated the offense with a 43-assist, 10-dig double-double, plus two kills and an ace.
Rylie Patterson chipped in nine kills and a solo block,
Madi Polasek recorded eight kills, and
Kenzie Jackson added seven kills and two solo blocks.
Lexi Nichols anchored the back row with a team-best 13 digs and three service aces.
Jyllian Phillips provided key secondary defense with nine digs and two aces, while
Jalie Miller added seven digs.
After dropping the opening set to the visiting Tigers, McMurry completely flipped the script in the second frame. The War Hawks came alive at the net with 17 kills and never trailing. Disciplined defense and sharp passing let McMurry pull away and lock down a decisive 25-17 win to even the match.
The third set was a grind, but the War Hawks stood tall in the critical moments. Williams-Gibson and Jackson locked down the net with solo rejections, while Rubis kept finding the floor from the outside. McMurry broke away from a tight battle to close out the frame, 25-22, taking a 2-1 match lead.
The fourth set delivered a thrilling finish featuring seven ties and three lead changes. With the decilble level at peak volume from and ETBU battling to force a fifth frame, McMurry produced its most explosive offensive stretch of the evening, hammering down 19 kills in the set. Behind clutch swings from Rubis and Patterson down the stretch, McMurry held off a late push to win 25-23 and seal the upset.
Next week, McMurry heads to Marshall, Texas, for a rematch with ETBU on October 15 at 6:00 p.m.
