JOPLIN, Mo. — No. 7-ranked Central Oklahoma (23-3, 9-3 MIAA) swept Missouri Southern (9-15, 3-9 MIAA) in straight sets on Saturday afternoon at Robert Ellis Young Gymnasium, winning 25-17, 25-20, 25-22. Central Oklahoma recorded a .353 hitting percentage in the second set to maintain control of the match.
Missouri Southern holds an overall record of 9-15 and a conference record of 3-9 in the MIAA. Central Oklahoma has an overall record of 23-3 and a conference record of 9-3 in the MIAA.
Hannah Allick led the team with 13 assists and added a service ace in three sets.
Alana Moesch contributed nine kills and seven digs over three sets, supporting the team both offensively and defensively.
Mataiya Barber recorded 13 digs and assisted eight times, showcasing her defensive capabilities.
Addysen Alvis tallied seven kills and maintained a hitting percentage of .353 in her performance.
Missouri Southern opened the first set with momentum, capitalizing on two early attack errors by Central Oklahoma's Sawyer Franz to take a 2-0 lead. Alvis and
Tiana Simmons added kills, helping the team maintain a narrow edge at 4-2. Central Oklahoma responded with a series of kills from Sydney Huck and Mikiah Perdue, leveling the score at 8-8. As the set progressed, Missouri Southern managed to regain the lead briefly, with Allick and
Anny Montano contributing key kills. However, Central Oklahoma swung the momentum back in their favor with a sequence of kills from Perdue and Huck, extending their advantage to 15-11. Despite efforts from the Lions, including a late kill by Alvis, the set concluded with Central Oklahoma securing a 25-17 victory.
In the second set, Southern started strong, capitalizing on errors from Central Oklahoma to build an early 3-1 lead. Moesch contributed significantly with multiple kills, while Barber added two service aces to extend the advantage to 10-6. The home team maintained control with effective attacks and defensive plays, reaching a 16-11 lead after a block by Simmons and
Fernanda Merancio. However, Central Oklahoma responded with a decisive run, tying the score at 16-16. They continued their momentum, taking the lead with a series of kills and service aces, ultimately closing the set at 25-20. MSSU was unable to regain the lead, ending the set trailing by five points.
The third set began with Missouri Southern narrowing an early gap as Alvis and Moesch each delivered crucial kills, leveling the score at 4-4.
Tori Hamilton contributed with a service ace, but Central Oklahoma responded with key plays to regain the lead. Despite efforts from Alvis and Moesch to keep the score close, Southern struggled to maintain momentum, ultimately trailing 15-13. A series of opponent kills and errors saw Central Oklahoma extend their advantage, but Allick's service ace briefly closed the margin to 20-19. Late contributions from Alvis and
Hanna Lauterbach helped Southern stave off defeat, but Central Oklahoma secured the set with a 25-22 victory, concluding the match.
Missouri Southern will return to action on Friday, Nov. 7, hosting Northwest Missouri State at the Robert Ellis Young Gymnasium.
