Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern volleyball team dropped a heartbreaker tonight as the Lions fell three sets to two in a thriller to Northwest Missouri. Individual set scores were 25-23, 14-25, 17-25, 25-19 and 9-15. 

The Lions (11-18, 4-12 MIAA) were led by Janelle Brehm as the freshman had 20 kills and hit .268 with eight digs. Morgan Nash had a double-double with 53 assists and 13 digs, while Bailey Rexford had 13 kills. Mikayla Monk had eight kills and 13 digs, while Kat Gries and Teryn Scott had 11 and 10 digs, respectively. 

Northwest (16-13, 10-6 MIAA) was led by Maddy Bruder with 26 kills and 20 digs, hitting .412, while Sofia Schleppenbach had 20 kills and hit .471. 

The first set saw the Lions take control with a late 19-17 lead. Northwest came back to get within one (21-19), and tie it at 21, 22, and 23, but the Lions scored the final two points to take the set. 

Sets two and three were all Northwest. Set four saw the Lions push ahead out of a 13-13 tie with two quick points to lead 15-13 and force a Bearcats timeout. The run was 5-0 and the lead was 18-13, forcing another Northwest timeout and the Lions cruised to the set win to force the fifth and deciding frame. 

The Bearcats led 8-6 at the turn in set five and scored the first point after the switch, forcing a Lions' timeout. The lead was 14-9 to force another timeout from Southern before Northwest closed it the next point. 

The Lions will close out the 2017 regular season next weekend with matches against Lindenwood and Central Missouri at home.