Brownwood, TX – October 29, 2024

The Southwest (NM) volleyball team faced a tough match on Tuesday, dropping three straight sets to Howard Payne at the Brownwood Coliseum. Despite showing resilience in the third set, the Mustangs couldn't overcome the consistent offense and blocking prowess of the Yellow Jackets, ultimately losing with set scores of 11-25, 13-25, and 19-25.

From the start, Howard Payne applied pressure, jumping to a quick lead in the first set as Southwest struggled with attack errors. Amaiya Williams led the Mustangs with 5 kills, but frequent errors hindered the team's momentum. Southwest recorded a negative hitting percentage of -0.041, a statistic that underscored their offensive struggles.

In the second set, the Mustangs found moments of rhythm but were unable to string together enough successful plays. Maya Morales provided a spark on defense with 10 digs, while Jayda Grant added 3 service aces, showcasing Southwest's potential from the back line. However, Howard Payne's Madai Suarez and Makenzie Weddel consistently found openings, propelling their team to a 2-0 set advantage.

The third set saw the Mustangs fight back with greater resilience, narrowing the point gap and pushing Howard Payne to work harder for each score. Danna Gamez delivered 5 kills, supported by solid defensive plays from Sarah Marin, who recorded 2 blocks. Despite these efforts, Howard Payne closed out the match with a 19-25 finish, capitalizing on the Mustangs' final few errors to seal the win.