NEWBERG, Oregon – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor volleyball team closed its trip to Oregon with two more wins, earning four-set victories over George Fox University and Pacific University Saturday in Newberg.
 
UMHB opened the day with a four-set match against George Fox. The first set played evenly with neither team leading by more than two points until the 10-9 mark when UMHB used a 6-1 run to take a four-point lead on George Fox. The Bruins responded with back-to-back points before the Cru scored three unanswered for a five-point lead. George Fox fought back, evening the contest at 22 and going ahead 24-22 with a 7-1 run late. UMHB responded with a kill from Baylee Mobley and an ace from Faith Clark to knot the set at 24, then finished off the Bruins with an attack error and a kill from Dravyn Hurd.
 
The Bruins went ahead early in set two and held the high ground through most of the set, taking a 17-9 lead and eventually evening the match with a 25-16 win. The Cru fought back in the third, using an 12-1 run to take a 22-13 lead. The Bruins scored just two more points as the Cru cruised to a 25-15 set win.
 
George Fox led for most of the fourth set before the Cru went on a 6-1 run to take a 16-15 lead. The match saw two more lead changes before kills from Dravyn Hurd and Cameron Pesek sealed the 25-23 set-win and match victory for the Cru.
 
Hurd led the Cru with 12 kills while Natalie Hughes added 11 and Pesek put up 10. UMHB hit .207 in the match, anchored by Caitlyn Ellenburg with 24 assists. Faith Clark led defensively with 16 digs while Peyton Sedlacek and Baylee Mobley each added 12.
 
UMHB closed the Oregon stint with another four-set match against Willamette. The first set went back-and-forth until UMHB used a 4-1 run to take a 12-8 lead. The Bearcats fought back, scoring four unanswered to tie the set at 12 before UMHB went on a seven-point run to go ahead 21-13. Willamette fought back but UMHB stayed ahead, sealing the 25-18 win. Sets two and three both played evenly and were tied at 24-24 with Willamette winning set two 26-24 and UMHB prevailing in set three 26-24.
 
UMHB led early in the fourth set, taking an 11-7 margin and using a seven-point series to take a 21-13 lead. Willamette fought back but the Cru held on, earning a 25-18 win to improve to 4-0 on the season.
 
Natalie Hughes led with 13 kills while Dravyn Hurd added 12. UMHB hit .235 in the contest, anchored by Caitlyn Ellenburg with 20 assists. Faith Clark added a team-high four aces and 18 digs with Ellenburg added 14 digs.
 
UMHB returns to action next week with four matches in Superior, Wisconsin September 6^th – 7^th. The Cru will then return home for a six-game stint at the Mayborn Campus Center at UMHB.
 
UMHB returns to action next week with four matches in Superior, Wisconsin. The Cru opens home play on Tuesday September 10^th in a six-game stint at the Mayborn Campus Center in Belton.