Springfield, Mo. – The Missouri Southern volleyball team dropped its final two matches of the weekend at Drury today, falling 3-0 to the host Lady Panthers and 3-1 to Texas Woman's in the nightcap.
 
In the opening match, the Lions (1-3) nearly took the opening set from Drury (4-0), but fell 22-25. Individual set scores were 22-25, 12-25 and 13-25.
 
Drury led 10-6 early on in the opening set, but the Lions fought back and tied the set at 15 on an ace from Grace Quiroz. The set was tied again at 17 and 20, the latter on a kill from CC Pollard, but the Lady Panthers scored five of the next seven points to take the set.
 
Sets two and three were all Drury as the Lions could not stop the hot-hitting Lady Panthers.
 
Pollard led the Lions with seven kills in the match, while Sophie Mader dished out 17 assists and had eight digs. Brooklynn McCain had 11 digs, while Emily-Kate Lonergan had seven digs of her own.
 
In the second match of the day, the Lions took the opening set against Texas Woman's (2-2), but the Pioneers stormed back to win the final three and the match. Individual set scores were 25-18, 22-25, 18-25 and 23-25.
 
The opening set saw the Lions get out to a 7-2 lead. The lead was 17-12 after a kill from Kierson Maydew and another kill from Maydew made the score 20-14. Southern closed out the set to go up 1-0 early on in the match.
 
Set two saw TWU open up the frame on a 7-3 run, but the Lions got within four (11-7) midway through, before the Pioneers opened up a 20-12 lead late. Southern stormed back and got with in two (24-22) after a 10-4 run, but TWU scored the final point to take the set.
 
Set three saw the Lions go up 5-1 to open the frame, but TWU went on an 7-1 run to lead 8-6. The Lions tied it at eight, but the Pioneers opened up a 20-12 lead late. Southern scored four-straight points late to get within five (23-18) but couldn't complete the comeback.
 
The fourth set saw the teams trade points throughout. TWU led 11-7 early, but four-straight points by the Lions capped by an ace from McCain tied the set at 11. The Pioneers led 18-12, but the Lions scored five of the next six points to get within two (19-17). Southern tied the set at 21 and took a 22-21 lead after a kill from Hegarty. TWU, however, scored four of the next five points to win the set and the match.
 
Pollard led the Lions with 13 kills and nine digs, while Mader had 38 assists and 12 digs. Maydew had 13 kills, while Hegarty had ten of her own. Quiroz had 13 digs, while McCain and Lonergan finished with 12 and nine digs, respectively.
 
The Lions will be back in action next weekend as Southern travels to Kentucky Wesleyan to take part in the KWU Invite. Southern will take on Lee University and Montevallo on Friday and KWU and West Virginia State on Saturday.