Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CLINTON, MS & MARSHALL, TX  - The UT Dallas volleyball team missed out on a chance to take the early lead in the American Southwest Conference East Division race Saturday afternoon, dropping its first conference match of the season, 3-1 to East Texas Baptist University.

The Comets fell to 11-4 overall and 4-1 in conference after dropping the match in four sets - 22-25, 25-13, 25-23, 25-23. ETBU improved to 6-0 in conference play.

UTD and ETBU have battled for the division title each of the last three seasons, with the Comets winning the crown outright in 2007, and sharing it with the Lady Tigers in 2006.

On Friday night, UTD had set up the showdown with the Lady Tigers with its third straight sweep of a division opponent, topping Mississippi College, 25-15, 25-15, and 25-18 victory.

UTD put down 43 kills in the short, three-set win. Kyleigh Irish topped the team with 15 while Amber Wetz and Pattie Allen combined for 19 more. In addition, Niki Calverley was credited with 41 assists.

On Saturday, though, the Comet offense struggled with attack errors, commiting 27 on the way to just a .101 hitting percentage at the net. In addition, ETBU came up with eight blocks in the match. Irish and Wetz combined for 21 kills.

Both teams travel to an ASC Crossover Tournament next weekend.

BOXSCORES: Mississippi College | East Texas Baptist