The Dallas Baptist University Lady Patriot Volleyball Team traveled to Austin, Texas on Friday, to take part in the Hilltopper Classic hosted by St. Edward's University. After an opening round win against Texas A&M Kingsville, DBU suffered three consecutive losses to Abilene Christian, Northwest Missouri State, and Missouri Southern State. The Lady Patriots are now 4-5 overall on the season.

DBU had no problems with the Javelinas (1-5) from A&M Kingsville, winning in three sets (25-14, 25-14, 25-14). DBU used a .384 attack percentage while committing just eight attack errors. Sophomore Becky Swann and Junior Kaylyn Frink did most of the damage for the Lady Patriots, combining for 26 kills.

In the second game on Friday evening, the DBU fell to Abilene Christian (4-2) in three straight sets (16-25, 24-26, and 22-25). Both teams accumulated 39 kills in the match, but the Lady Patriots had 25 attack errors as opposed to the Wildcats' 12. Frink led the way again for DBU, as she picked up 15 kills for a .270 attack percentage. Freshmen Lauren Pavloske and Tyler Bradsher led the way defensively with nine digs apiece.

Saturday morning, DBU faced the Bearcats from Northwest Missouri State (3-4). The two teams were evenly matched, playing all three sets down to the wire. However, using 45 kills, NWMS pulled out the win (25-20, 25-21, 25-19), giving the Lady Patriots their second loss of the tournament. Swann led DBU with eight kills, while Frink and Freshman Krystal Wunderlich each picked up seven apiece. Pavoloske had another stellar effort defensively, finishing with 19 of DBU's 43 total digs.

In the final match up of the tournament, the Lady Patriots suffered a hard fought loss to Missouri Southern State University (6-2). After narrowly losing the first set, 24-26, DBU won the next two sets, 25-22 and 27-25, to take a 2-1 lead. Another close match in the fourth, MSSU pulled out a 25-21 win to send the game to a tie breaker. The Lions outlasted DBU with a 15-13 win in the final set, sending the Lady Patriots home with their third consecutive loss.



Once again, Frink dominated at the net with a game high, 19 kills. Swann finished with 14 kills, while Wunderlich and Sophomore Christina Steinkruger had 13 and 10 kills, respectively. Sophomore May Allen had one of her best games of the tournament with 12 digs.

Frink and Swann were each selected to the All-Tournament Team for their performances over the weekend. Frink ended with 53 kills and 19 errors, for a .238 attack percentage. She was also second on the team defensively, with 34 digs. Swann picked up 38 kills and only eight attack errors over the four games, for an astonishing .469 attack percentage.

The Lady Patriots will travel to Edmond, Oklahoma on Tuesday, for a 7:00 p.m. game against the University of Central Oklahoma, before returning home on Thursday, September 16. DBU will then host Oklahoma Panhandle State University at the Burg Center for the beginning of Heartland Conference play. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.