BEAUMONT, Texas – After dropping the first set, the Houston Baptist University volleyball team bounced back and narrowly avoided a fifth set to drop North Texas, 3-1 (22-25, 25-22, 25-15, 27-25), at the Lamar Tournament Saturday morning at McDonald Gym. The Huskies face host Lamar in the finale of the tournament tonight at 7.

Junior outside hitter Heather Leaverton had a match-high 12 kills, six digs, three blocks and a pair of service aces for HBU (2-0), while senior middle blocker Jolie Graf had 11 kills and four blocks. Sophomore middle blocker Caiti Wenger added eight kills and three blocks, while freshman outside hitter Jasmine Casey had six kills and seven digs.

Junior setter Victoria Weatherly recorded the Huskies' first double-double of the season with 41 assists and 10 digs, and senior libero Courtney Whittleman turned in another stellar defensive effort with 25 digs to go with three aces.

“I knew we were playing a big team with big blockers and we just needed to come out and do our jobs,” Leaverton said. “So, I just came in mentally prepared and I was ready to work hard.”

“We got going early this morning and we were awake by the time the match came, we were ready to go,” Graf added. “I feel like I just clicked the last part of the game – I love playing in the last part of the game – because it gets really exciting and intense and it's a mental battle where you ask yourself, 'are you going to put the ball away or are you going to keep the rally going?'”

Melanie Boykins and Eboni Godfrey had nine kills apiece to led North Texas (1-1), with Godfrey posting a team-high 19 digs. Sarah Willey added 14 digs, while Addason Lamb had 11 and Chrissy Johnson had 10. Boykins, Madison Barr and Hallie McDonald each had five blocks.

In the first set, a short three-point run was enough to give the Mean Green an early advantage, which led to a five-point cushion. The Huskies battled back to within two at 18-16, but the Mean Green built the lead back up to five as they closed in first-set win. North Texas held set point at 24-19, but the Huskies battled with three-straight points before falling 25-22.

HBU scored the first four points of the second set, but North Texas answered back with five-straight points to take a 6-5 lead. The Huskies countered with four-straight again to go up, 9-6, but the Mean Green came back to take a 12-11 lead. HBU scored four in a row on a kill by Wenger, a block by Graf and Weatherly, a kill by Graf and a kill by senior outside hitter Christie Dorch, to lead, 15-12. The Huskies held the lead most of the way, until the Mean Green tied the set, 22-22, but HBU scored the last three points to tie the match one game apiece with a 25-22 decision of its own.

The Huskies fell behind 9-4 early in the third, but rallied for five-straight points to tie it, 9-9. Another five-point run put the Huskies up, 17-12, then another gave them a 23-14 lead and allowed them to cruise to a 25-15 victory.

Senior rightside hitter Isis Gardner got hot in the fourth set and had three early kills to give HBU a 5-3 lead. The set remained close until North Texas scored four in a row for a 15-11 lead. The Huskies fought back and tied the set, 18-18, on an ace by Leaverton and there were five ties after that point. HBU fought off set point at 24-23 and 25-24, but the Huskies tied the match at 25, got a kill from Leaverton for the lead and a Mean Green attacking error ended the match.

The Huskies hit .140 for the match, and held the Mean Green to .039. North Texas outdug HBU, 71-68, and had more blocks, 11-9.