JOPLIN, Mo. — Missouri Southern State University (1-3, 0-0 Mid-America Intercollegiate) fell to Southwest Baptist University (4-0, 0-0 GLVC) in straight sets, 0-3, at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon. The Lions managed 36 kills over three sets, but Southwest Baptist's efficient attack, highlighted by a .314 hitting percentage, secured the victory.
Missouri Southern holds an overall record of 1-3. Southwest Baptist is undefeated with a 4-0 overall record.
Kaelyn Kendrick led the Lions with nine kills and added one block assist, contributing significantly to the team's offensive output.
Brenna Weaver excelled in setting, distributing 20 assists.
Addysen Alvis recorded seven kills and showcased her defensive skills with 11 digs.
Olivia Burmeister added five kills and one block assist, enhancing the team's defensive presence.
In the opening set, Missouri Southern started strong with an early kill by
Grace Gardner, assisted by Weaver, setting the tone for the Lions. Alvis and Burmeister added to the scoring with kills, maintaining a close contest in the early exchanges. Despite the efforts, Southwest Baptist gained an advantage midway through the set with consistent offensive plays from Julia Marinesi and Gabriela Dupree, widening the gap. Kendrick led a late rally for Southern with multiple kills assisted by
Abby Morris and
Reagan Ashby. However, the Bearcats maintained their lead, closing the set with a score of 25-17. Southwest Baptist capitalized on their momentum to secure the first set.
Missouri Southern started the second set with a strong push, capturing an early 3-0 lead with a kill from Alvis and two consecutive attack errors by Southwest Baptist. However, the Bearcats quickly responded, tying the score at 3-3 and then taking the lead. Despite efforts from Gardner and Burmeister, Southern struggled to regain momentum as Southwest Baptist extended its lead. A series of attack errors and opponent kills widened the gap, with Missouri Southern trailing throughout the set. Kendrick and Weaver provided late kills, but it was not enough as Southwest Baptist closed the second set with a 25-17 win, maintaining control and leading the match.
The third set began with Missouri Southern making an early impact, as Kendrick recorded a kill with an assist from Weaver, giving the team a quick point. Burmeister and
Tiana Simmons also contributed kills, keeping the score tight in the early stages. However, Southwest Baptist responded with a series of successful plays, pulling ahead with a 6-3 advantage. Despite Southwest Baptist's momentum, the Lions fought back, with Morris and Alvis providing key offensive contributions. Gardner added a service ace and a kill, narrowing the deficit to 19-16. As the set progressed, Southwest Baptist maintained its lead, capitalizing on a series of attack errors by Southern to extend the gap. In the final moments, Southern attempted to close the gap as Gardner and Alvis delivered late kills. However, Southwest Baptist secured the set with a 25-21 victory, despite the Lions' resilient efforts to narrow the score.
The Lions take the court next at the Gorilla Classic in Pittsburg, Kan., beginning Wednesday, Sept. 2, against Southwestern Oklahoma State at 5 p.m. Southern will also face Arkansas Tech and William Jewell on Thursday before closing the tournament against Truman State on Friday.
