RICHARDSON, Texas – Sophomore Zhartezia Bradley recorded a game high 16 kills and junior Cheyanne Lovelady added 49 assists to help lead the Howard Payne Yellow Jackets past LeTourneau University in four sets (32-34, 25-22, 25-23, 25-21) on Saturday evening in Richardson. 

Howard Payne opened play on the final day of the ASC Crossover event with an impressive win over LeTourneau, out-hitting LETU .221 to .145 in the neutral court match. The Lady Jackets tallied 61 kills and 11 service aces in match that was highly contested from both sides. 

Sophomore Analisa Anzaldua led all players with 27 digs while freshmen Brittany Taylor added a career high 20 digs. 

Senior Briana Williams and Cheyanne Lovelady led the way in service aces with four each. It was a career high for Williams in that category. 

The game began with a highly contested 34-32 set that the Yellow Jackets led by as many as six points, 19-13. LeTourneau was able to battle back and tie Howard Payne 23-23 and the two teams exchanged point the rest of the way until Letourneau pulled away with the win. 

Neither team led by more than two points during the second set until the Lady Jackets pulled away 24-20 after a kill and a service ace from Cheyanne Lovelady. Howard Payne ended up taking the set 25-22 when Kailey Doering slammed home a kill off of an assist from Lovelady. 

Cheyanne Lovelady would also come up big during the third set while both teams again exchanged points until the very last minute. Lovelady was able to reel off one service ace and help force two attack errors to give Howard Payne the 25-23 result. 

In the fourth and final set, the Lady Jackets played their best volleyball of the game. They were intent on keeping the game from going any longer then needed and never trailed during the set. LeTourneau kept the pressure on but faded late in the set when HPU reeled off three unanswered points to get the 25-21 win. 

Howard Payne will now return home to host Sul Ross State University at the Brownwood Coliseum. First serve is set for 6:00 p.m. and all home games are free to attend. The game will also be live streamed on https://portal.stretchinternet.com/hpu/