SAN ANTONIO, Texas - McMurry fell in straight sets Thursday evening in a non-conference match to Trinity University at Calgaard Gym.
The Tigers topped the War Hawks 25-15, 25-16, and 25-17.
Madi Polasek led the McMurry offense with nine kills while anchoring the floor with 12 digs.
Layleah Williams-Gibson added six kills and two blocks, while
Kenzie Jackson and
Hanna Rubis each contributed four kills.
Grace Fortune directed the attack with 20 assists, adding six digs, two solo blocks, and a kill.
Lexi Nichols matched Polasek on the back row with 12 digs, along with four assists and a service ace.
Jyllian Phillips also reached double figures with 10 digs, and Jackson added a solo block and a block assist at the net.
McMurry opened the match with early momentum when Williams-Gibson and
Rylie Patterson teamed up for a block on the opening point. After Trinity pushed ahead to 8-3, the War Hawks chipped away. Fortune sparked with consecutive solo blocks and kills from Polasek and Patterson, cutting the Tiger lead to 12-10. Trinity then pulled ahead 19-11 and closed out the frame 25-15.
The War Hawks responded with their best stretch of the night in the second set. Facing an early deficit, kills from Polasek and Rubis, plus an ace from Nichols, kept McMurry close.
Allison Montoya then ignited a 5-0 run from the service line, delivering an ace and forcing multiple errors to vault the War Hawks ahead 9-7. A tandem block by Jackson and Fortune kept McMurry in front 11-10 before Trinity reclaimed momentum and took the set 25-16.
In the third set, McMurry continued to battle, staying within striking distance behind kills from Williams-Gibson and Jackson. A block assist from Williams-Gibson and Rubis pulled the War Hawks within two at 11-9. Fortune later scored on a feed from Polasek, and
Grace Gustafson came off the bench to add a kill, bringing McMurry within four at 19-15. Trinity controlled the final points to close out the 25-17 set and the sweep.
Volleyball wraps up its regular season on Saturday with non-conference matches against Colorado College at 2:00 p.m. and the University of Dallas at 6:00 p.m. at the Maher Center in Irving.
