Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern volleyball team dropped the opening set, but stormed back to take the final three, defeating visiting Fort Hays State three sets to one inside Young Gymnasium tonight. Individual set scores were 25-27, 25-19, 25-15 and 25-21. 

Southern (11-9, 4-6 MIAA) wins its third match in a row as Morgan Nash led the way, nearly missing out on another triple-double with 15 kills, 21 assists and nine digs, while adding in four blocks, as well. Makenzie Fa'amausili-Cacoulidis dished out 27 assists, while Janelle Brehm had 13 kills and 13 digs. Brooklynn McCain had a match-high 17 digs, while Cassie Walton had 13 of her own. Alicia Pickett had eight blocks, while Alyssa Diaz had seven as the Lions had 16 team blocks in the game. 

Hays (6-12, 3-7 MIAA) got 17 kills from Isabelle Reynolds, while Katie Darnell had 36 assists. 

Both teams traded points in the first set as it featured 11 ties and one lead change. After the set was tied at 14, FHSU took an 18-16 lead to force a Lions timeout. The Tigers led 23-20, forcing another Southern timeout, but the Lions tied the set at 24 to force a Tigers' timeout. The set was tied at 25 again, before Fort Hays scored the final two points to take the set. 

Set two saw the Lions turn a 10-10 tie into a 19-13 lead to force a Tigers' timeout. The Lions led 22-14 to force another FHSU timeout, but the Tigers scored five of the next six points to get within four (23-19) and cause a Lions' timeout. Southern, however, scored the final two points to take the set and tie it at one. 

The Lions led from start to finish in set three, opening up a 12-4 lead to start the set and closed out the set on back-to-back blocks. Southern never trailed in the final set, leading 13-7 to force a Tigers' timeout. The lead was 17-14 and FHSU needed another timeout. Southern held strong and finished off the Tigers down the stretch. 

The Lions will be back in action tomorrow as Southern plays host to No. 3 ranked Nebraska-Kearney at noon.