Box Score BELTON, Texas – The Howard Payne volleyball team closed out the 2016 campaign with a 3-2 loss (25-18, 25-16, 20-25, 20-25, 15-10) to Eastern Texas Baptist College on Friday afternoon at the Mayborn Campus Center.
Despite the loss, the Yellow Jackets (11-16) completed their best season since finishing 17-17 in 2013 and made their first post season appearance in 16 years. During Coach Westfall's second year at the helm, Howard Payne improved in nearly every facet of the game.
The two teams exchanged points during the first set and were tied up at 9-9 before the Tigers were able to pull away with the 25-18 result. The Jackets were forced into consecutive attack errors that ETBU used to take the lead and the set.
Howard Payne came out slow in the second set and fell behind 7-0 before battling back to get within two points, 9-7. However, it was all East Texas Baptist from that point forward as they forced the Jackets into their worst attack percent on the night to take the set 25-16.
In the games third set, the Yellow Jackets came out the gate strong and registered their best hitting performance in the match (.267%.) The two teams were briefly tied up at 10 apiece before ETBU pulled ahead to take the 16-11 lead.
Howard Payne rallied back and scored the set's next ten points to pull ahead, 21-17. After a service ace from
Brittany Taylor and a kill from
Kailey Doering, The Jackets would win the set 25-20 to keep their hopes alive.
The Yellow Jackets kept the momentum going into the fourth set and pulled ahead 9-5 early. The Tigers tied it up briefly at 11-11 before Howard Payne pulled away to take the set, 25-20. Leading by as much as 6 points, the Lady Jackets out-hit East Texas Baptist .259 to .184 to force the game into a fifth and final set.
In the games fifth and final set, Howard Payne came out flat and fell behind 5-0 before they were able to score off a kill from
Macy Maniscalo. Zhartezia Bradley stepped up and some impressive play at the net to pull the Jackets within two points, 8-6.
The Tigers surged ahead in the final minutes and took the final set 15-10 to sneak away with the win.
Howard Payne finishes the 2016 campaign with an 11-16 record and will look to improve on that result with hard-work during the offseason. Stay tuned to HPUSports.com and @HPUVBall on Twitter for off-season updates.
