ATLANTA, GA (11.12.21) - The UT Dallas volleyball team wrapped up its 2021 season Friday night with a 3-1 loss to No. 13 Emory in the second round of the NCAA D-III National Championship, played at the Woodruff Physical Education Center.

POST-MATCH INTERVIEW WITH HEAD COACH MARCI ALLISON AND COMETS ALLISON OWEN AND GABI SOMMERFIELD

REGION TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

The Comets (18-10) concluded its national tournament run with a 25-20, 25-11, 22-25, 25-18, loss to regional host Emory (25-5) after earning a 3-1 win over Christopher Newport Thursday in the opening round.

Allison Owen led the Comets with 16 kills and a .359 hitting percentage while Catherine Croft and Gabi Sommerfield each contributed seven kills.

UTD battled the nationally ranked Eagles in the opening set, collecting 19 digs as a team in the close 25-20 loss. The Comets played Emory point-for-point to open the match, forcing a 15-15 tie after a Croft kill. The Eagles then used a 4-1 run to pull away, however, and eventually grabbed the five-point victory. The Eagles then completely controlled the second set, hitting .481 as a team in the 25-11 victory to take a 2-0 advantage.

The Comets battled back in the third set as Owen collected six of her 16 match-high kills in the game to keep UTD alive in the match. The Comets hit .275 in the set while corralling 19 digs for the second time in three sets to extend their life in the national tournament.

But, Emory would close out the 3-1 victory with a 25-18 win in the fourth set, holding the Comets to just eight kills in the game.

Libero Rachel Baxter recorded a match-high 17 digs while Sommerfield had four blocks. Emma Sevening led the Comets with 23 assists. 

The Comets closed out their second straight and eighth all-time trip to the NCAA D-III National Championship, advancing to the second round for the fourth time in program history. UTD qualified for the national tournament after winning the ASC Tournament title earlier this month, claiming a league-record seventh crown.