Goodwell, Okla. – The Missouri Southern volleyball team rebounded and won its final two sets to go 1-1 today in the final day of the Aggies Challenge, falling to UC-Colorado Springs, but defeating Northwestern Oklahoma.
In the first match of the day, the Lions (2-2) opened up against Colorado-Coloardo Springs (2-1). The Mountain Lions hit .367 in the first set and limited the Lions to -.143 and rolled to a 25-9 win.
Southern rebounded in set two, getting as close as three points (11-8) after a kill from
Bailey Rexford, but UCCS would take that set 25-15.
In set three, Southern erased an early 8-3 deficit and a kill from
Christina Perlinger cut the deficit to one (10-9), while a kill from
Bridgette Jaeger made the score 12-11. A block from Jaeger and
Mikayla Monk tied the set at 12.
After UCCS would go up by three (16-13), a kill from Monk cut the lead to just one (16-15), but that would be as close as the Lions would get and UCCS closed out the set to win 25-19 and three sets to none.
Perlinger and
Monica White had six kills each with White hitting .250. Monk added five kills and two blocks, while Jaeger and
Kat Gries had seven digs apiece.
Whitney Harrison dished out 19 assists.
In match two, the Lions fought back and defeated the Rangers three sets to two. Individual set scores were 28-26, 19-25, 6-25, 25-18 and 15-12.
Jaeger led the way in the match, with 12 kills and 13 digs to go with a block. Perlinger had nine kills and ten digs, while White had eight kills, four aces and three blocks.
Sydney Dose had seven kills, while
Bradyn Wall and Harrison had 19 and 14 assists, respectively. Gries had a match-high 27 digs.
Both teams traded points in the first set before the Rangers (0-3) took a 22-20 lead late. The set woudl be tied again at 22, 23, 24, and 25, before the Lions scored three of the final four points to win.
Sets two and three were all NWOSU, before the Lions would take control in set four. Southern led from the get go in the fourth set, taking the frame 25-18. In the fifth and deciding set, Southern raced out to an 8-2 lead at the turn. The Rangers got to within three (12-9) to force a Southern timeout and within one (13-12) forcing another timeout. However, a kill from Jaeger and an ace from White closed out the match.
The Lions will be back in action next weekend as they travel to Arkadelphia, Ark. to take part in the Henderson State Tournament.
