BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor volleyball team swept Hardin-Simmons University 25-20, 28-26, 25-20 Tuesday evening in Belton. The win improved the Cru to 15-1 on the season and 7-1 in American Southwest Conference action while the Cowgirls fell to 8-12 overall and 4-4 in league play.
 
The first set opened evenly with several point rallies before UMHB used a 7-3 run to gain advantage on the Cowgirls. The Cru took a 25-20 win in the first set but opened the second-set at a deficit. UMHB used a 6-2 rally to tie the set at 13. The set remained knotted until a 26-26 tie when Hardin-Simmons hit back-to-back attack errors to give UMHB the 28-26 win. UMHB again trailed early in the third set, fighting off a pair of five-point deficits, to tie the contest at 17. From there, Corinne Novak took over, serving 12 consecutive points to give UMHB match-point. The Cru fought off a late 3-0 surge from the Cowgirls to win the final set 25-20.
 
Miranda Klein led the Cru with 11 kills, hitting a team-high six kills in the final set. Novak finished with nine kills as UMHB totaled 37 kills on 112 attacks for a .205 hitting percentage. Natasha Evans anchored UMHB's offense, recording 27 assists. Defensively, Haleigh Evans led all athletes with 18 digs followed by Natasha Evans and Novak with 17 each. Sarah Paolini was the defensive leader at the net, recording 11 blocks while Natasha Evans added six and Corinne Novak had four. UMHB totaled 68 digs and 13 team blocks, serving four aces.
 
Morgan Prince led Hardin-Simmons with 10 blocks as the Cowgirls hit .023 in the contest. Ashley Pierce led with 17 assists, Meagan Bauer had 13 digs and Grace Schulz recorded six block assists.
 
UMHB returns to action on Friday, October 6^th. The Cru will face No. 3 Trinity University at 4 p.m. before hosting Sul Ross State University at 6:30 p.m.