DENTON, Texas — Henderson State split its two matches on the opening day of the Dallas Baptist-Texas Woman's Crossover on Friday. After falling 3-1 in their morning match with Texas Woman's, the Reddies bounced back and grabbed a five-set victory over Midwestern State University (25-17, 25-19, 21-25, 24-46, 13-15) in the afternoon contest.

Henderson (3-3) used a balanced attack to take down MSU, getting double-digit kills from McKenzie Tuyo (12), Tyasia McGruder (11), and Courtney Bolf (11). Taylor Scalzi led the team with 27 assists while MaKenzie Thoman picked up 21 digs.

The Reddies finish their Texas trip tomorrow when they take on Colorado Christian at 9 a.m. and Missouri Southern at 3 p.m.

Game 2: Henderson State 3, Midwestern State University 2

SET ONE
Little separated the Reddies and the Mustangs in the beginning of the opening set. After MSU took the first two points and HSU responded with a 3-0 spurt to make it 3-2, it remained a one point contest until a kill from McGruder gave the Reddies their first breathing room, 13-11. MSU crawled within one 13-12, but Henderson used a 7-2 run to take control, 20-14. Back-to-back kills from the Mustangs made the score 20-16, but the Reddies took five of the last six points of the set to win it 25-17 and take a 1-0 lead.

SET TWO
HSU jumped all over Midwestern State in the second set, using an ace from Scalzi, and kills from McGruder and Tuyo to take a 5-0 lead. Slowly but surely, however, the Mustangs crept back within striking distanceand eventually trimmed the Reddies' advantage down to just 18-16. Despite the pressure, the Reddies once again flexed their muscle in the waning moments of a set, and used a 7-3 run to take a 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-19 win.

SET THREE
The third set, much like the first, was a back-and-forth affair until its later stages. Although the Reddies led 2-0, neither team would see its lead increase to three or more until MSU finally pulled in front 18-14. The Mustangs kept the Reddies off balance, and the two teams alternated points for the rest of the set as MSU got on the board with a 25-21 set victory.

SET FOUR
For the second time in the match, the Reddies used an ace from Scalzi and kills from Tuyo and McGruder to take an early lead, 7-3. Henderson would push its advantage to five, 10-5, but a 6-2 run from MSU made it a one-point contest, 12-11. Kills from the sophomore combination of McGruder and Alex Tyler gave HSU a 17-14 lead, but MSU answered with a 4-0 spurt, and took its first lead of the set, 18-17. The Reddies appeared to have righted the ship with a 5-2 run to take a 22-20 lead, but MSU would not be denied and finished the set on a 6-2 run to win 26-24 and tie the match.

SET FIVE
As expected, the fifth and deciding set was hotly contested. Henderson was in control early and built a 6-3 lead after a kill from Bolf. However, the Reddies were unable to win consecutive points, and MSU pulled in front 13-12 to lead for the first time since it was 1-0. With their backs against the wall, the Reddies turned to their veterans and their veterans delivered. It was Bolf who came through first to tie the set 13-13 on a kill, and back-to-back kills from Bree Sanders gave the Reddies the set, and the match, 15-13.