Box Score

CHICAGO – Houston Baptist University could not get going offensively and Texas-Pan American took advantage as the fifth-seeded Lady Broncs eliminated the fourth-seeded Huskies, 3-0 (25-16, 28-26, 25-20), in the first round of the Great West Conference Volleyball Tournament Friday afternoon at Emil and Patricia Jones Convocation Center.

HBU sophomore middle blocker Ashlee Karg led the Huskies (17-13) with 10 kills, and sophomore outside hitter Heather Leaverton had nine kills and 12 digs. Junior libero Courtney Whittleman led the Huskies paced the Huskies defensively with 14 digs. Sophomore setter Victoria Weatherly had 25 assists and seven digs, while senior outside hitter Paige Jenkins added 10 digs.

Marci Logan led UTPA (9-21) with 13 kills, while Meghan Fichtel added eight. Kaitlin Vasquez had a match-high 18 digs, while Rita Gonzalez had 38 assists and 16 digs.

UTPA hit .189 for the match and held HBU to its worst hitting percentage of the season at .073. The Lady Broncs also outdug the Huskies, 60-52. The Huskies have normally dominated the blocking and serving categories, but the Lady Broncs limited them in those areas as blocks were even at three and aces were even at two apiece.

The Great West Conference postseason awards were announced earlier Friday. Whittleman was named Defensive Player of the Year and earned second-team honors. Junior right-side hitter Isis Gardner earned first-team all-conference honors and made the all-newcomer team, and Weatherly also made the all-newcomer team.