DENTON, Texas (Sept. 2, 2016) – Kerstin Jenkins, Anna McGee and Sara Oxford of Texas Woman's University each produced a pair double-digit kill performances versus Newman and Colorado State-Pueblo at the Hilton Garden Inn Classic Friday in Kitty Magee Arena to lift the Pioneers to a 2-0 season start.
 
Mary Kate Hyde tallied game-highs in assists with 43 and 56, respectively, in the three-set win (26-24, 25-23, 25-20) over the Jets and five-set victory (15-25, 25-18, 23-25, 25-13, 15-13) against the Thunderwolves. All-around performances by Jenkins led to two double-doubles in kills and digs, and Emma Petolick notched team-highs in digs with 17 and 24.
 
In the 2016 season opener against regional opponent Newman (1-1), the Pioneers (2-0) jumped ahead in set one at 8-4 following two kills by McGee and then increased the lead to 13-8 on a Jet service error. NU knotted the set at 16-all on an ace and took the lead at 21-19 on a block. TWU climbed ahead 23-22 on a kill by Haley Collins and placed themselves at match point on two occasions before a Jenkins kill took the set.
 
The Pioneers took a 4-1 lead in the second set behind three Jet attack errors and did not relinquish the advantage until Newman produced a 5-0 run to jump ahead 21-20. TWU answered with four straight and came out on top with two final kills and a Jet attack error.
 
A kill and block by Oxford in set three broke an 11-11 tie before two TWU kills extended the margin to 21-15 to seemingly put the Pioneers in control of the match, but a pair of kills by Newman and a TWU attack error put the Jets within 22-20 to force a Pioneer timeout. TWU quickly responded with a kill by Oxford and two more from McGee for the match victory.
 
The Pioneers opened a bit dismally against regional foe CSUP (0-2) by dropping set one by double digits but returned in set two to put together a six-point run that included two McGee kills and a block by Oxford and Collins to give TWU an 18-12 advantage. Collins sparked another run with another block, this time with McGee, and two kills to push the Pioneers to a 22-14 advantage that led to a win to even the match.
 
In set three, the Pioneers held an 8-5 edge after a McGee kill from the outside, but the ThunderWolves eventually crept ahead, 18-15. McGee tied the set at 21-all on an ace to the back corner, but three TWU attack errors and a CSUP ace allowed the visitors to take a 2-1 match lead.
 
A TWU service error in set four allowed CSUP to hold an early 5-4 edge, but a 13-3 Pioneer run shifted the control as the ThunderWolves were unable to swing the momentum back in their favor, forcing a decisive fifth set.
 
Oxford skimmed her serve over the net for an ace in the final set to give TWU a 6-4 lead, but CSUP pieced together three straight points for a 7-6 advantage. The Pioneers looked to be in trouble following two kills and aces by the ThunderWolves for a 12-8 deficit. Courtney Noel recorded a block alongside Oxford and a kill down the middle to pull TWU to within 13-12. Collins then delivered a kill, CSUP sailed an attack wide before Oxford tallied the final kill for the Pioneer victory.
 
TWU continues play in the Hilton Garden Inn Classic Saturday with matches against Harding at 11:30 a.m. and Lubbock Christian at 4:30 p.m.