PORTLAND, Oregon – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor volleyball team opened the 2024 season with a pair of sweeps Friday in Oregon. The Cru earned 3-0 wins over Linfield College and Pacific University.  
 
The first set played back and forth with neither team leading by more than two points until the 8-6 mark when UMHB went on a nine-point run to gain a 17-6 margin. The Cru served three aces in the run with two from Faith Clark. Linfield fought back with a 5-1 run to pull within seven but the remainder of the set played back and forth with UMHB closing on a three-point run to win 25-15.
 
The second set played closely until the 11-8 mark when UMHB constructed a 5-1 run to take a 16-9 lead. The Cru pulled away with another 5-1 run at the end, sealing the another 25-15 -set win. UMHB took of sprinting in the final set, leading by as many as nine points at the halfway mark. Linfield fought back, pulling within six at one point and using a five-point run to make it a five-point set. UMHB thwarted the run with a kill from Raylee Schaffner but the Wildcats scored five more unanswered to pull within one point. Kendall Harrington and Peyton Sedlacek sealed the match for the Cru, scoring the final two points for the 25-22 win.

Dravyn Hurd and Kendall Harrington both led the Cru with six kills while Schaffner and Baylee Mobley each added five. UMHB hit 31 kills on 92 total attacks in the contest with Kendall Harrington leading the Cru with nine assists. Faith Clark led UMHB with five service aces as UMHB totaled 11 in the match. Defensively, Harrington led the Cru with 12 digs while Clark added 11. Hurd was the Cru's defensive leader at the net, totaling six blocks in the match.
 
UMHB's first set with Pacific opened evenly before PU went on a 9-1 run to gain a 10-3 lead on the Cru. UMHB responded with a 4-1 run to pull within four before a pair of points put the Cru back at a six-point deficit. UMHB again chipped away at the lead but PU held on to the high ground until the 16-11 mark when UMHB embarked on a 7-1 run to take an 18-17 lead. The set tied at 19 and 21 before UMHB finished it off with a 4-2 run, earning the 25-23 win.
 
The Cru opened the second set with a 4-1 run and maintained the lead until the set knotted at 12-12. Points tied again at 13 but UMHB responded with a 5-1 run to take an 18-14 margin over Pacific. The Cru stayed on top, earning a 25-19 win to take set two.  Set three saw four tied scores before the Cru used a five-point series to take a 15-10 margin. Pacific fought back, going on an 8-1 run to take the match to 24-23. Raylee Schaffner secured the win for UMHB with a kill for the Cru's 25^th point, sealing the sweep and win.
 
Dravyn Hurd led the Cru with 10 kills, followed by Schaffner with nine. Kendall Harrington and Natalie Hughes each added seven kills as UMHB totaled 40 in the contest. Harrington also led the Cru with 20 assists while Caitlyn Ellenburg added 14. Defensively, Faith Clark led all athletes with 12 digs, followed by Peyton Sedlacek with 11.
UMHB returns to action on Saturday, August 31^st in two more matches in Oregon. The Cru will face George Fox University at 12:00 p.m. (CT) followed by a 5:30 p.m. (CT) match against Willamette.