Crusaders Come From Behind to Beat HPU in Five

September 20, 2023

BROWNWOOD, Texas - The University of Dallas volleyball won their non-conference match against Howard Payne University 3-2 on Tuesday, improving to 9-3 on the year.

The contest was tightly fought from start to finish, but the Yellow Jackets held the slight edge over the first two sets.  The Crusaders went on a 7-1 run to take an 8-4 lead early in set one, but HPU found their rhythm late in the set to overcome the deficit and pull away.  The Yellow Jackets were at their best in set one, racking up 17 kills on just four errors to hit .333, the best hitting percentage in a single set by either team on the night.

Set two was back and forth from the off, with the lead trading hands seven times.  Isabel McKamey pulled UD within one point of the lead at 22-23, but the Yellow Jackets closed the set out with a kill and a service ace to take a 2-0 lead.

Dallas turned the tables in sets three and four, taking a lead early on and never relinquishing it in either set.  The Crusaders hit their stride in set four, racking up 17 kills on two errors to hit .326.

The two teams could still hardly separate themselves in the decisive fifth set, with the lead changing hands six times and the set going to extras.  The Crusaders were on the bring of defeat after two straight points by HPU made it a 16-17 game, but Dallas rallied right back with three straight points to take the set 19-17 and complete the come-from-behind victory.

Cassie Dyoub and Isabel McKamey both set season and career-highs in kills, Ava Alvardo set s new career-high in assists, and Alexa Swaller set new career-highs in kills and digs.

Up Next

The Crusaders will begin their conference schedule this weekend.  They will start their conference campaign at home as they host Austin College and Centenary College, with Dallas vs Centenary slated for the first match of the day at 12:00 pm on Saturday, Sept. 23.