BROWNWOOD, Texas – The Hardin-Simmons' volleyball team earned another American Southwest Conference victory with a straight-set sweep of Howard Payne, 25-13, 25-21, 26-24, on Friday evening at Brownwood Coliseum. The Cowgirls improved to 11-6 overall and 2-1 in ASC play with the win.
Hardin-Simmons hit .309 as a team with 41 kills and just seven attack errors while adding six service aces and seven total blocks. The Cowgirls held Howard Payne to a .175 hitting percentage and forced 19 attack errors.
Jadyn Hernandez led the Cowgirl offense with nine kills on a match-best .571 hitting percentage while adding two solo blocks.
Rachel Nordt recorded eight kills and two blocks, while
Ellie Carter added eight kills and a team-high 11 digs.
Maelee Montgomery contributed seven kills on a .500 hitting percentage, and
Avery Tumlinson registered five kills and three total blocks.
The Cowgirls controlled the opening set from the midway point, using an 11-3 run to pull away for a 25-13 victory. Hardin-Simmons hit .400 in the frame and limited Howard Payne to a .057 attack percentage.
The second set featured nine ties and five lead changes before the Cowgirls seized control late. Consecutive points from
Addy Cunningham helped spark a decisive run, and kills from Hernandez and Nordt closed out a 25-21 set win and a 2-0 match advantage.
Howard Payne pushed the third set to the limit, rallying from a seven-point deficit and eventually tying the score at 24-24. The Cowgirls responded with a kill from
Addy Delgado before forcing a final Howard Payne set error to secure the 26-24 victory and complete the sweep.
Allison O'Shaughnessy and
Madeleine Hanson shared the setting duties, recording 17 assists apiece, while Cunningham and Hanson each added two service aces.
Hardin-Simmons will play its next game on Friday, October 9 at home against Mary Hardin-Baylor at 6 p.m. in the Mabee Athletic Complex.
--- www.hsuathletics.com ---
