MARSHALL, TX (09.12.17) - The No. 13-ranked UT Dallas volleyball team suffered a 3-2 road loss at East Texas Baptist Tuesday night in the American Southwest Conference openers for both programs.

The Comets got off to a slow start, dropping the opening set to ETBU, 25-22, but bounced back with a key 25-12 victory in the second stanza to even the match. The Tigers rallied for a 25-21 win in the third set to regain the lead, but again UTD answered, recording a 25-21 victory of its own to force a fifth and deciding set.

The host Tigers (5-4, 1-0 ASC) grabbed an early 3-1 lead after a kill by Bailey Byas and maintained control throughout the fifth set. UTD would knot the set, 4-4 and 5-5, but could not take get over the hump as ETBU used a 5-1 run midway through the set to pull away and secure the match with a 15-12 victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
The Comets hit .227 as a team, compared to .177 by the host team, but a multitude of errors allowed the Tigers to stay in the contest. UTD made nine service errors, had five reception errors and was called for five blocking errors in the defeat.

KEY PLAYERS:
Lauren Schilling, the reigning ASC East Offensive Player of the Week, led four players in double-digit kills with 17 put-aways and a .316 hitting percentage. Emma Wallbrown added 15 kills, Alana Geymer had 12 kills and Sydney Riordan had 10 kills. Briana Tully, the reigning ASC East Defensive Player of the Week, led the Comets with 23 digs.

UP NEXT:
The Comets (6-3, 0-1 ASC) continue play in the ASC's East Division this weekend with two more road matches. UTD's next match is Friday at 7 p.m. at Belhaven in Jackson, Miss.