[Story, photo courtesy of HPUSports.com]

 Makenzie Weddel and Brylee Awbrey both put up double-doubles to help power the Howard Payne University volleyball team to a 3-2 win (25-27, 25-17, 25-20, 20-25, 15-11) against the Sul Ross State Lobos Tuesday at home at the Brownwood Coliseum.

The win moved the Lady Jackets’ record to 11-10 overall and 5-7 in ASC action.

The Lady Jackets were led by double-doubles from both Brylee Awbrey, who had 11 kills and 23 digs, and Makenzie Weddel, who had 13 kills and 18 digs. Rylee McAlexander also added 10 kills to help the attack. On the defensive end, Jayden Harrison chipped in for with 28 digs to go with seven blocks from Brooke O’Neal.

Game Notes

» Makenzie Weddel and Brylee Awbrey both registered double-doubles in the win.
» Howard Payne had four players in double figures in kills.
» Howard Payne had four players in double figures in digs.
» Makenzie Weddel had a team-high three aces in the win.
» Howard Payne never trailed on the way to winning the second set 25-17.
» Howard Payne never trailed on the way to winning the third set 25-20.
» Howard Payne never trailed on the way to winning the fourth set 15-11.
» Makenzie Weddel had a team-high 13 kills for Howard Payne.
» Howard Payne got a team-high 28 digs from Jayden Harrison.
» Howard Payne attackers were helped by a team-high 23 assists from Addison Roden.

How It Happened

SET 1 | The Lady Jackets fell in a back-and-forth first set, losing 27-25 in a set that featured five lead changes and was tied nine times. Neither team led by more than four points in the set.

SET 2 | Howard Payne responded to pick up a 25-17 victory in the second set, evening the match at one set apiece. The Lady Jackets led from the opening point on in the set to secure the victory. Howard Payne opened up as much as a 10 point lead at 21-11 before closing out the set.

SET 3 | Howard Payne won again in set three to make it a 2-1 match. The Lady Jackets took a 1-0 lead and never looked back in the set to earn a 25-20 victory. Howard Payne opened up as much as a nine point lead at 15-6 before finishing off the set. Howard Payne’s front row had a solid defensive performance, blocking seven Sul Ross State attacks in the stanza and capitalizing on 10 Sul Ross State attacking errors on the way to victory.

SET 4 | Howard Payne couldn’t keep the win streak going, as the Lobos forced a fifth set with a 25-20 fourth-set win. The Lady Jackets trailed by as many as six points as Sul Ross State grabbed the advantage for good at 14-13 and Howard Payne was never able to recover in a set that was tied up two times before the Lobos took over in the second half of the stanza.

SET 5 | Howard Payne opened a two sets to one lead and fought off Sul Ross State’s comeback attempt, which included a fourth set victory, to win the fifth set 15-11 and the match 3-2. The Lady Jackets led from the first point on in set five to earn the victory. Howard Payne opened up as much as an eight point lead at 14-6 before finishing off the set.

The Lady Jackets will be back in action taking on East Texas Baptist in Marshall, Texas on Friday, October 27th with a start time of 6:00 PM. With losses from McMurry and Concordia (TX), HPU has now clinched a spot in the ASC tournament.