Bolivar, Mo. – The Missouri Southern women's volleyball team took on the Southwest Baptist Classic. Game one would be against the Ouchita Baptist University Tigers and game two against the Southwest Baptist University Bearcats. The Lions edged out the Tigers, 3-2 and fell to the Bearcats, 3-1. Moving to a 1-9 overall record.
Game 1: Missouri Southern (1-8) vs. Ouchita Baptist (6-3)
Set 1: Missouri Southern 25 | Ouchita Baptist 19
Missouri Southern opened the match trailing 5-1. A kill from Alana Moesch pushed a scoring jump to close the deficit to two points (6-4). Midway through the set, the Lions pushed a 6-1 scoring rally to take the lead, with kills from Moesch (two kills), Amelia Neels (two kills), and blocks from Neels and Josey Goldberg. Missouri Southern sealed the set at 25-19 after a service error from Ouachita Baptist and a final kill from Landrey VanOverschelde.
Set 2: Missouri Southern 21 | Ouchita Baptist 25
Ouachita Baptist would work and lead Missouri Southern after a five-point jump. An Alana Moesch kill would break the rally. The Loins would work to close their deficit to three points with a kill from Anny Montano and back-to-back kills from Kyra Thomas. The Tigers would hold their advantage to even the match.
Set 3: Missouri Southern 21 | Ouchita Baptist 25
Missouri Southern started strong, establishing an early lead with a quick 4-1 run, with points from Kyra Thomas and Amelia Neels and a service ace from Kyla Randall. Ouchita Baptist retaliated to push a seven-point jump to take the lead (10-4). The Lions would push to close the difference and would to three points (13-10). A late rally from the Lions would pull the gap to two points (23-21): points from Fernanda Merancio (two kills and block), Josey Goldberg (kill), and Neels (block). The Tigers would snatch the remaining three points.
Set 4: Missouri Southern 25 | Ouchita Baptist 13
Both teams opened the fourth set trading points. The Lions would go on the offensive with an Amelia Neels kill and run a six-point rally (14-7). Missouri Southern would hit a 0.379 with 13 kills on 29 attempts. The Lions would hold the high ground and take the fourth set with a Landrey VanOverschelde ace and Josey Goldberg kill.
Set 5: Missouri Southern 17 | Ouchita Baptist 15
The Lions continued their fire into the fifth set, leading 12-6 early. The Tigers found their fire to push a six-point rally to even the score. Both teams traded points. Missouri Southern secured the victory with kills by Anny Montano and Kyra Thomas.
Missouri Southern Leaders -
KILLS: Amelia Neels – 14
SERVICE ACES: Landrey VanOverschelde – 4
BLOCKS: Amelia Neels – 6
DIGS: Kayla Randall – 27
Ouchita Baptist Leaders –
KILLS: Leah Gardner – 18
SERVICE ACES: Leah Gardner – 3
BLOCKS: Leah Gardner – 3
DIGS: Avery Jauz – 26
Game 2:
Missouri Southern (1-9) vs. Southwest Baptist (6-4)
Set 1: Missouri Southern 25 | Southwest Baptist 13
The Lions would open to dominate working a 10-0 score; Anny Montano would open the scoring with a kill. Followed by two Tori Hamilton aces and kills from Amelia Neels and Landrey VanOverschelde. Missouri Southern would find a second rally to push five points (20-3). The Bearcats would find points to try to close their gap, but the Lions held their advantage for a 25-13 victory.
Set 2: Missouri Southern 18 | Southwest Baptist 25
Southwest Baptist had an early lead to start the second set, 4-0; the run would be broken by Amelia Neels, followed by a Kyra Thomas kill. The score would stay close. The Bearcats would work two points to get the lead (15-13). Southwest Baptist would hold their advantage for the second set.
Set 3: Missouri Southern 23 | Southwest Baptist 25
The Lions would capitalize on a Southwest Baptist service error to push four points and even the score, 8-8; with a kill from Alana Moesch. The Lions would hold the Bearcats at set point, and worked to close their deficit. Missouri Southern would have a kill from Amelia Neels and a ace by Landrey VanOverschelde. Southwest Baptist would snatch the remaining point for the third set.
Set 4: Missouri Southern 27 | Southwest Baptist 25
Missouri Southern would get on the board early to lead 4-1, with points from Kyra Thomas (kill), Alana Moesch (kill), Landrey VanOverschelde (ace), Amelia Neels (block) and Joey Goldberg (block). Both teams would trade points and the lead. The Lions would reach set point first with a four point jump. The Bearcats would come out on top to take the match.
Missouri Southern Leaders -
KILLS: Amelia Neels – 13
SERVICE ACES: Tori Hamilton – 3
BLOCKS: Kyra Thomas– 5
DIGS: Kayla Randall – 25
Southwest Baptist Leaders –
KILLS: Ella Rademaker– 14
SERVICE: Rory Stanley – 4
DIGS: Kenzie Lilly – 20
Up next;
The Lions will be back on the court on Saturday, September 21 when they continue to day two of the Southwest Baptist Classic. The Lions will take on the Truman State University Bulldogs at 2:00 pm.
-Lions-
