BELTON, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor volleyball team finished the 2021 season as American Southwest Conference regular-season champions and Runners-Up for the conference title.
The Cru dropped a 3-1 decision to the University of Texas at Dallas in the ASC Championship match Saturday afternoon in Belton. UMHB dropped the first set 25-20 , but fought back and claimed the second set with a big 25-15 win. The Comets took the next two sets 25-21, 25-22 to win the match and conference title.
Hannah Frasca led the Cru with 24 kills in the match as UMHB totaled 36 against the Comets. Alli Pierce UMHB's offense with 27 assists. At the net, Kayla Janikula led UMHB with six blocks, while Kylie Metcalf and Kynleigh Browne each added five. Maddie Gillispie led the Cru defensively with 24 digs, followed by Pierce with 16.
"It was a really good match if you like defense," Head Coach Mark Pryor said. "We blocked well and we really dug a lot of balls. Offensively, we just didn't have it today… and that's unfortunate in a situation like this."
The Cru finished the regular season 23-1 and earned the right to host the 2021 tournament with the regular-season title. Frasca led the Cru with 310 kills this season, while Janikula added 246 with a .386 hitting percentage. Pierce finished the season with 789 assists. Defensively, Gillispie led the Cru with 350 digs, followed by Frasca with 349. Metcalf was the Cru's leading blocker with 69, followed by Janikula with 64 total. UMHB ended the regular season leading the conference in hitting percentage (.230), opponent hitting percentage (.122) and digs (1,643). Janikula led the league with a .397 hitting percentage while Pierce had a league-high 725 assists.
"I could not be more pleased with the character of this group," Pryor added. "We fought, we battled and we came up a bit short, but that's how it goes sometimes. This program will be back here again."
The University of Texas at Dallas earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championships with the win. UMHB named Hannah Frasca and Alli Pierce to the 2021 ASC All-Tournament Team.
