AUSTIN, Texas - The Concordia Texas volleyball team was halted in a 3-1 defeat against Howard Payne University. Sophomore setter Selena Cooper (21 assists, 12 digs) posted her first double-double of the season inside the Concordia Fieldhouse. 

A kill by Haylee Diebel to start the match sparked a 6-1 run for CTX. The Yellowjackets fought back to tie the match up at 13. Thanks to a 9-3 flurry, Howard Payne would go ahead for the 25-19 win. 

Games two and three came down to the very end. With the score tied 20-all in set two, a kill by Presley Bunting propeled Concordia to a 5-2 run to tie the match. Concordia Texas trailed 23-19 in set three, before Kaitlyn Ruiz fed Nicole Deering for the kill to spark a 4-0 run to tie the match. The Yellowjackets would however win the final two points to claim the 2-1 advantage. 

Howard Payne raced out to an 8-1 lead, but the Tornados would fight back to bring the score to 18-16. The Yellowjackets would ultimately regroup and end the match on a 7-1 run.

Concordia Texas will now remain home and kick off a three-match homestand next weekend, beginning with LeTorneau on Friday, October 13th at 6 pm.

To keep up to date with everything surrounding the CTX volleyball program, follow us on social media (@ctxathletics) and visit athletics.concordia.edu.