DALLAS, Texas (Nov. 6, 2024) –Down goes No. 22!

The Texas Woman's volleyball team defeated No. 22 Dallas Baptist in five sets on Wednesday night to record their 11th straight win.

TWU (18-5, 11-2) fell in the opening set and third set but battled back to force a set five, closing out the win over DBU (16-7, 10-3) in the fifth set, 15-13.

The win marked the first win for the Pioneers over the Lady Patriots since the Spring 2021 season. Eleven straight wins marked the most consecutive wins for TWU since 2003.

Additionally, the victory over ranked DBU was the first win for TWU over a ranked team since 2017.

With the win, TWU claimed fourth in the LSC standings.

Tonight was the seventh fifth-set match for the Pioneers on the season. In five-set matches, the Pioneers are 5-2.

IMPACT PLAYERS

• Tori Woods led the Pioneers with 20 kills, marking her third match this season with 20-plus kills. She hit .289 on the match. She also finished with 11 digs, one block assist and one service ace. It marked her 13th double-double of the season.
• Cara Pool recorded 12 kills on the night and hit .500. She also added five block assists in the match.
• Erin Jones and Malia Viernes both finished with 10 kills. Jones also finished with four block assists.
• Viernes finished with career-high 18 total digs to lead the Pioneers in digs and record her eighth double-double of the season.
• Grace Reynolds finished the game with 34 assists, 11 digs, one ace and one block assist. It marked her 15th double-double of the season and her eighth 30-plus assist match of the season.
• Kiana Reed also added double-digit assists in the win, finishing the match with 11 assists and eight digs.
• Lizzy Reed finished the match with a season-high two assists and eight digs.

PIONEER POWER MOMENTS

• The Pioneers out-blocked DBU in the match 6-5.
• TWU allowed the Lady Patriots to connect on 12 aces, while TWU recorded four. However, TWU remained consistent from the service line, only committing four service errors. On the other side, the Patriots committed 11 service errors.
• TWU hit .260 on the night for 64 total kills, while DBU hit .272 for 73 total kills. The Pioneers did defend well, as DBU committed 23 attack errors to the Pioneers' 19.
• The Pioneers opened the first set with the first two points of the match off a kill by Woods and a monster block by Jones and Pool.
• After back-and-forth play with DBU leading for most of the first part of the set, a kill by Pool tied it up at 10 each. Then, the Lady Patriots responded to score four unanswered points to take the 14-10 advantage. DBU would lead for the remainder of set one.
• The Pioneers would come withing two points, 22-20, after a kill by Kiana Reed and two straight kills by Woods. Nevertheless, TWU was unable to mount the comeback in set one, as DBU took the opening set, 25-21
• In set two, TWU once again opened with two straight points to start the set.
• TWU took a 10-7 lead after scoring four straight points, and a kill by Myracle Stockman gave TWU their 10th point of the set.
• A kill by Jones would bring the Pioneers to 20 points, as they lead the set 10-15.
• After taking the lead at the 10-point mark, the Pioneers would never trail again in set two.
• Three straight points by DBU cut TWU's lead to just one, 22-21. The Pioneers responded by scoring back-to-back to bring up set point, 24-21. After the Lady Patriots answered set point with two straight points, the Pioneers found their composure and Viernes hit the kill to tie up the match for TWU, 1-1 and give them the set two victory, 25-23.
• In set three, the Pioneers allowed DBU to mount long scoring runs. Trailing 24-14, TWU would score four straight to come within six, 24-18, but DBU closed the set quickly, 25-18.
• TWU distanced themselves early in set four. A setter dump by Reynolds ignited a 4-0 run for TWU, giving the Pioneers a 9-5 advantage.
• The score was tied 16 times in set four, as the Pioneers battled to extend the match.
• After back-and-forth play throughout the entirety of the match, DBU brought up match point, 24-23. Nevertheless, TWU continued to remain poised and responded in a strong manner. A DBU service error tied it up a 24-each.
• A kill by Pool brought up set point for TWU, 26-25. After one DBU point, the Pioneers would win set four off a kill by Jones, 28-26.
• Then, in the fifth set, DBU jumped out to a 6-3 lead. As had been the motto of the night, TWU did not get frazzled. They remained connected and worked to score points.
• The match would be tied at eight after a DBU attack error awarded TWU the point. DBU would score three straight to take an 11-8 lead.
• Trailing 12-10, a kill by Jones would ignite a three point run to push TWU ahead. A kill by Viernes would give TWU their first lead of the set, 13-12.
• DBU would tie it up once again at 13. However, TWU was locked in and ready to claim the win. A kill by Jones would bring up match point, and a nice serve from Lizzy Reed and some miscommunication on the Lady Patriots' side of the net would result in the fifth set going to TWU, 15-13.

 HEAR FROM HEAD COACH JESSICA RANSOM
  The Pioneers return home for their final home matches of the regular season on Friday and Saturday. TWU will play a non-conference match on Friday, Nov. 8 against UT Dallas at 6 p.m. Then, they will celebrate senior day on Saturday, Nov. 9, as the Pioneers meet Midwestern State in an LSC contest at 2 p.m. in KMA.