MARSHALL, Texas - Hendrix split on the final day of the East Texas Baptist Invitational after suffering two losses the previous day. The Warriors dropped a 3-1 decision to Christopher Newport before responding to defeat McMurry in four sets in their final match of the weekend.
Christopher Newport (L, 3-1)
Hendrix began the second day with a four-set loss to Christopher Newport. The Warriors forced the fourth set beyond 25 points after rallying from a 24-19 deficit to take a 25-24 lead, but Christopher Newport held on for a 30-28 set.
The Warriors separated in the first set by winning seven of eight rallies, moving from a 12-11 edge to a 19-12 advantage behind kills from
Alexis Mahan,
Ava Burns and
Ana Bastos. Bastos added consecutive service aces during that stretch, and the Warriors finished the set at 25-19 on a
Riley Brady kill from
Emma Blancovich.
The Warriors answered Chris. Newport's 2-0 start with seven straight points, moving ahead 7-2 behind
Mary Addisyn Stubbs' serve. Stubbs' turn included three aces, while Brady and Mahan combined on a block during the surge. The Warriors later tied the set at 17-17, but Chris. Newport closed out the set 25-19.
A five-point Chris. Newport run pushed the Warriors from a 17-14 deficit to 22-14, leaving them chasing late in the third set. Earlier, the Warriors kept the set tight behind kills from Mahan, Bastos and
Addison Rud and a Brady service ace, but Chris. Newport closed out the set 25-17.
The Warriors fought back from 24-19 down in the fourth set, scoring six straight points and moving ahead 25-24 on a Bastos kill from Blancovich. With Brady serving, the Warriors won five straight rallies during that stretch, including Bastos kill and a Burns-Bastos block. The Warriors later led 28-27, but Chris. Newport scored the final three points to take the set 30-28.
Brady finished with nine kills and 16 digs, adding two service aces and two block assists.
Mary Addisyn Stubbs recorded 18 digs and served three aces. Mahan shared the team lead with nine kills while hitting .292 and adding two block assists. Blancovich posted 16 assists and six digs.
McMurry (W, 3-1)
The Warriors ended th final run-up to conference play with a four-set win over former SCAC foe McMurry to close out the ETBU Invite. Hendrix ended the fourth set on a 9-0 run from 16-12 to 25-12, including eight straight service points.
The Warriors built their separation midway through the first set, turning a 14-11 lead into an 18-11 advantage after a McMurry service error, an
Ava Burns kill from
Emma Blancovich and back-to-back
Reghan Frazzetta service aces.
Ana Bastos,
Riley Brady and
Alexis Mahan added multiple kills, and Mahan closed the set with a kill from Blancovich. The Warriors took the set 25-19.
The Warriors built an early 6-1 advantage in the second set, using a
Camryn Kennedy kill and five straight service points with
Faith Jones at the line. The lead was still 20-16 after a McMurry service error, but McMurry answered and later scored the final four points after the Warriors moved ahead 22-21. McMurry took the set, 25-22.
The Warriors closed the third set from a 23-23 tie, getting a Bastos kill from Blancovich for set point before a McMurry attack error finished a 25-23 win. Earlier, the Warriors had worked back after McMurry held a 17-13 lead, with Bastos adding a kill and a service ace in the response before Frazzetta tied it at 18-18 on a kill from Kennedy.
The Warriors turned a 16-12 edge into a 25-12 set win by scoring the final nine points, with Brady putting down the sideout kill and
Chloe Staggs serving the last eight points. Staggs had two aces during the closing service run, and Brady added two kills, including the final point. Earlier, after McMurry tied the set at 7-7, the Warriors answered with four straight points on Frazzetta's serve.
Bastos led the Warriors with 13 kills and 15.5 points and added 14 digs and two service aces. Brady finished with nine kills without an attack error, hitting .429. Blancovich recorded 25 assists, nine digs and two service aces. Burns totaled five blocks and added four kills.
The win takes Hendrix to 5-4 on the season. They will hit the road to begin league play in the SCAC on Friday with an in-state showdown versus the University of the Ozarks at Mabee Gymnasium.
