BELTON, TX (11.05.21) - The UT Dallas volleyball team is one win away from a league-record seventh conference title after an efficient 3-0 win over LeTourneau Friday in the semifinals of the ASC Championship Tournament, hosted by Mary Hardin-Baylor.

POST-MATCH INTERVIEW WITH HEAD COACH MARCI ALLISON AND COMETS ABBY JONES AND ALLISON OWEN

ASC TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

The Comets (16-9) will be making their eighth straight appearance in the ASC title contest and for the eighth consecutive season they will be facing No. 13-ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor (24-1) for the crown. The ASC championship tilt between the two rivals is set for 2 p.m. at the Mayborn Campus Center.

Catherine Croft finished the quick duel with the YellowJackets with a match-high 14 kills while Abby Jones added 10 kills with a .562 hitting percentage. The Comets got off to an impressive start to the match and closed the night hitting .273 as a squad and averaging 15.0 kills per set.

In a blink of an eye, UTD had total control of the opening set, grabbing a double-digit lead 16-6 on an Allison Owen kill. The Comets widened their lead to as many as 15 points (21-6) before finishing off the first stanza with a 25-12 victory. Croft led the way with six kills while Jones had three kills in a set where UTD hit .312.

Croft then added seven kills in the second set as the Comets handled LETU, 25-16, to take a 2-0 lead in the match. UTD used a 7-0 run early in the set as the Comets continued to ride their momentum from the first set and never looked back. UTD hit just .205 in the second game, but still finished with 15 kills.

The Comets finished strong with a 25-17 win in the third set to punch their ticket to a 12th all-time ASC title contest. Jones, Owen and Madison Ball each contributed four kills as UTD hit .308 as a squad in the deciding set. 

Comet libero Rachel Baxter led the squad with 11 digs while setters Sydney Fitt and Emma Sevening collected 20 and 13 assists, respective, in UTD's 6-2 offense. The Comets closed the match with nine service aces and six blocks, a match-high five blocks coming from Gabi Sommerfield.

UTD holds a 4-3 advantage over the Cru in the previous seven ASC championship matches, winning in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019. The Comets also claimed the league title in 2008 and 2009. The two teams split matches in the regular season, each winning one the other's squad home court.