EMPORIA, Kan. — Emporia State defeated Missouri Southern State in straight sets, 26-24, 25-12, 25-21, at W. L. White Auditorium on Saturday. Despite the loss, the Lions recorded a .294 hitting percentage in the third set, their highest of the match.
Missouri Southern State holds an overall record of 8-12 with a conference record of 2-7 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate standings. The Hornets have a 17-3 overall record and are 8-1 in Mid-America Intercollegiate play.
Alana Moesch led the Lions with 12 kills and also contributed 11 digs in the match.
Hannah Allick provided a strong setting performance, recording 15 assists over three sets.
Tori Hamilton was effective defensively, tallying 11 digs, while also adding four assists.
Fernanda Merancio added 11 kills and contributed to the defense with one block assist.
Missouri Southern State opened the first set with a two-point lead, capitalizing on errors by the Hornets. Merancio's early kill further extended the advantage. However, the home side quickly responded, leveling the score multiple times through efficient kills by Nyia Anderson and Lavra Krizanic. As the set progressed, the Lions managed to pull ahead with strong plays by
Addysen Alvis and service aces by Moesch. Despite this, Emporia State kept the pressure on, tying the score at various intervals and eventually taking a narrow lead. In a tense conclusion, both teams traded points with the Lions' efforts led by Moesch and
Epifania Salamasina. Ultimately, the Hornets edged out a 26-24 win in the first set, closing with two crucial points following a service error and an attack error from the visiting team.
Missouri Southern State opened the second set with a series of efforts to gain momentum, highlighted by Moesch's early kills, set up by Hamilton and Allick. Despite these efforts, the Lions faced challenges overcoming Emporia State's defense, as multiple attack errors and blocks allowed the Hornets to maintain control. Emporia State capitalized on these opportunities, extending their lead with a strong service performance from Delainee Dexter, which included two service aces. The Lions attempted to close the gap with a service ace by Hamilton and a kill by
Anny Montano, but the Hornets' offense proved resilient. The set concluded with Emporia State taking the set, 25-12, leaving the Lions seeking adjustments for the next set.
Missouri Southern State started the third set trailing slightly. An early kill from Merancio, assisted by Allick, helped the Lions cut the initial deficit to 2-1. Moesch and Merancio each contributed crucial kills, propelling the team to a 4-4 tie. The Lions capitalized on a series of Emporia State's attack errors to extend their lead to 9-5. Despite Missouri Southern's momentum, Emporia State responded to level the score at 9-9. The Lions regained a slim advantage with kills from Salamasina and
Hanna Lauterbach, but Emporia State continued to challenge, eventually knotting the score again at 12-12. The teams traded points until Emporia State pulled ahead 19-17. The Lions narrowed the gap with another kill by Moesch, but a series of service errors hindered their push. The Hornets capitalized on these mistakes, closing the set with a 25-21 victory. The Lions' performance remained competitive, keeping the contest closely matched throughout the third set.
