HOUSTON-Prairie View A&M failed to close out games and close the gap on deficits in a 3-0 loss to Houston Baptist on Tuesday night. Slow starts in each set came back to haunt the Lady Panthers, and though they often were within striking distance, the Lady Panthers could not get over the hump. 

The Lady Panthers fought from behind in the first set. They scored the first two points, but then they dropped six-consecutive points and faced a 6-2 deficit before being forced to call a timeout. Prairie View A&M eventually fought back to within two points when junior middle blocker Magda Zietek took a pass from Kelsey Espinosa and spiked it down for the kill. Prairie View A&M trailed 20-18 at that point, but the Huskies went on a 5-0 run to close out the first set.

Prairie View trailed for most of the second set too. After an HBU error the Lady Panthers pulled to within two points at 17-15, but the Huskies retaliated with an 8-2 run to take the set 25-17. Houston Baptist ran away with the third set, taking it 25-13. 

Zietek finished with a team-high eight kills and a .211 attack percentage, and Espinosa had a team-high in assists with 11. Junior middle blocker Jade Nelson finished tied for a game-high with five blocks with HBU's Caiti Wenger.

After a tough 1-3 start to the season, the Lady Panthers hit the road for Denton to participate in the North Texas Invitational Tournament. Prairie View A&M will play the Mean Green at noon on Friday to kick off the Tournament.