LUBBOCK, Texas (Sept. 8. 2017) - Texas Woman's University played in its first five-set match of the 2017 season but fell just short to Southwestern Oklahoma State in the Chap Classic Friday inside the Rip Griffin Center. The Pioneers will continue play against host Lubbock Christian later Friday evening.
 
Kerstin Jenkins notched a career and game-high 17 kills along with 15 digs for her career fourth double-double, but the Pioneers could not hold off SWOSU in five sets (23-25, 27-25, 25-21, 25-20, 13-15). Bailey French tallied a career and game-high 26 digs, and Erin Jones registered a career-best 16 for TWU.
 
In set one, the Pioneers fell into an early 3-0 deficit before tying the game at 7-all on a Bulldog attack error. A kill by Courtney Noel made it a one-point contest with TWU trailing 15-14, but four points pushed SWOSU ahead, 19-14. The Bulldogs positioned themselves at set point following a TWU miscommunication on the floor, but back-to-back kills by Briley Cole-Lewis and Katy Ranes brought the Pioneers to within 24-23. SWOSU then called a timeout and finished off the set on a TWU attack error.
 
The Pioneers fought back from a 12-6 hole to take the lead at 22-21 on a deep shot placed in the corner by Makayla Mayfield. Noel powered through a block for a 25-24 TWU edge, and the teams traded kills for a 26-25 lead for the Pioneers. A Bulldog attack error tied the match at one set apiece.
 
In the third set, TWU battled back from a 13-9 deficit to jump ahead 15-14 on a kill by Noel. A kill by Mayfield and ace by Veronika Webb forced a SWOSU timeout with the Pioneers leading 22-20. A Cole-Lewis kill and Bulldog attack error placed set point at 24-21, and a Mayfield kill put TWU up 2-1 in the match.
 
A kill by Mayfield in set four made it a 7-6 contest in favor of SWOSU, but an 8-0 Bulldog run upped the deficit to 15-6. The lead eventually grew to 12, but the Pioneers crept back to within 24-17 and scored three straight points to close within 24-20, but a SWOSU kill forced a decisive fifth set.
 
A block by Noel and Ranes in the fifth set gave the Pioneers a 7-4 advantage, but a SWOSU kill, a pair of Bulldog blocks and a TWU attack error handed over the lead at 8-7. The Pioneers twice regained the lead at 9-8 and 10-9 on kills by Jenkins, but SWOSU scored three straight to go up 12-10. A kill by Cole-Lewis kept TWU alive trailing 14-13, but a last Bulldog kill ended the match.
 
Head Coach Jeff Huebner said, "Bailey was so good today; she did a good job defensively. I'm proud of Haley and Briley to hit themselves out of a slump. When we are disciplined and do the right things, we are really tough. When we lose focus and aren't committed, we can get in a little bit of trouble. That's how culture works. As long as we learn, we will be okay."