DENTON, Texas - Senior Tabitha Spray turned in a 10-point, 14-dig double-double, while freshman Kaia Saylor turned in a 16-kill, 20-dig double-double of her own, but the Texas Woman's University volleyball team (3-4, 3-4 Lone Star Conference) fell 3-1 to Dallas Baptist (2-7, 2-7) on Tuesday night inside Kitty Magee Arena. 

DBU grew its lead gradually through the opening set, opening up a 16-9 advantage. However, the Pioneers responded with a 7-1 run to cut the TWU deficit to one (18-17). A trio of TWU attack errors gave DBU a 22-18 lead before the Pioneers responded with three consecutive points of their own to again pull to within one at 22-21. 

However, back-to-back Patriot kills gave DBU set point at 24-21, and after the Pioneers held off set point one time, a service error closed the set and gave the opener to DBU 25-22. 

The Pioneers were fast out of the gate in the second set, racing out to a 7-2 advantage. DBU inched back and pulled to within two (12-10) after a TWU attack error but again the Pioneers stretched the lead to five (17-12) after a Saylor kill. DBU cut TWU's lead to three at 20-17, but the Pioneers scored five of the final six points of the set to take a 25-18 victory and even the match at a set apiece. 

TWU again carried momentum through the opening of the third set, grabbing a 10-4 advantage. The Patriots erased that advantage quickly and knotted the match at 12-12 after scoring eight of the next ten points. Again the Pioneers edged ahead, opening up a 16-13 lead, but DBU stayed close and eventually knotted the set once again at 18-18. The Pioneers edged ahead 21-19, but the Patriots scored six of the final seven points of the third set, taking their first lead of the set at 23-22 and holding on for a 25-22 victory to take a 2-1 match lead. 

The fourth set saw DBU charge ahead 5-1 before the Pioneers rallied, knotting the match at 8-8. DBU scored the next two points to claim a 10-8 advantage but the Pioneers reeled off five of six to claim a 13-11 lead. The lead was short-lived as DBU pushed the match back to a tie at 13-13 and the match would be tied four more times before DBU broke an 18-18 stalemate by scoring six of seven points and setting up match point at 24-19. 

TWU would not go quietly into the night however, as the Pioneers forced five match points before the Patriots were able to close out a 25-23 set victory to take the match 3-1. 

Oche joined Saylor and Sprague in double figure kills with 10 of her own, hitting .421 with eight blocks. The Pioneer block party was in full force as the Pioneers held a 12-8 advantage in blocking, with Spray taking part in five and Monica Wood taking part in four. Cassidy Steadman dished out 47 assists, while Sydney Stroh led TWU with 28 digs. 

DBU outhit TWU .179 to .154 for the match, but TWU was able to hit a match-high .417 in the second set. 

TWU and DBU conclude their series with the Pioneers' final home game at 6 p.m. Wednesday inside Kitty Magee Arena.