PITTSBURG, Kan. — Missouri Southern State University split its two matches Thursday at the Gorilla Classic, falling to Arkansas Tech in straight sets before bouncing back with a 3-0 sweep of William Jewell. The Lions move to 3-4 overall on the season.
Across the two matches, the Lions totaled 70 kills, 10 service aces, 15 blocks and 67 digs.
Addysen Alvis led Southern with 22 kills, six service aces and 12 digs, while
Brenna Weaver recorded 49 assists, and 15 digs.
Tiana Simmons added 13 kills and a team-high 16 digs.
Olivia Burmeister contributed 11 kills and five total blocks, while
Kenzie Jones recorded eight kills and five total blocks.
Missouri Southern opened the day against Arkansas Tech, falling 3-0 by scores of 25-19, 25-11, 25-19. The Lions recorded 28 kills and hit .110 in the match, while Arkansas Tech finished with 40 kills and a .405 hitting percentage.
Addysen Alvis led the Lions with 12 kills and 15 points, adding three service aces and four digs.
Brenna Weaver finished with 20 assists and five digs, while
Tiana Simmons collected a team-high eight digs and added five kills.
Southern stayed within striking distance throughout the opening set before Arkansas Tech used a four-point run to create separation and take the set 25-19. The Golden Suns then scored seven straight points after a 1-1 tie in the second set, taking control on the way to a 25-11 win.
The Lions responded with their strongest start of the match in the third set, erasing a 6-3 deficit with six consecutive points. Alvis sparked the run with a kill before serving three aces during the stretch as Southern took a 9-6 lead. Arkansas Tech regained the advantage late and closed the match with a 25-19 third-set victory.
Missouri Southern returned to the court later Thursday and earned a 3-0 victory over William Jewell, taking the sets 25-18, 25-20, 25-19. The Lions hit .263 with 42 kills and 10 blocks while limiting the Cardinals to a .119 hitting percentage.
Alvis again paced the offense, finishing with 10 kills, three service aces and eight digs. Weaver recorded 29 assists, 10 digs, four kills on five attacks and one ace.
Olivia Burmeister added six kills while hitting .385 and matched the team lead with five total blocks.
Kenzie Jones also recorded five total blocks, including two solo blocks, while adding four kills.
Southern built an early lead in the opening set and never trailed after establishing an 8-2 advantage. Burmeister, Jones,
Grace Gardner and
Kaelyn Kendrick helped keep the Lions in control as Southern closed out the set 25-18.
The Lions again jumped ahead early in the second set, turning a 3-1 lead into a 10-2 advantage. William Jewell trimmed the deficit to two points at 16-14, but Southern answered with a service error and a Burmeister kill before Weaver's ace and late points from Jones, Kendrick and Gardner secured the 25-20 win.
Missouri Southern controlled the third set from the opening points, taking a 3-0 lead and later using a four-point run to extend the advantage to 16-9. The Lions reached set point at 24-16 before William Jewell scored three straight, but
Tiana Simmons ended the match with a kill from
Reagan Ashby to give Southern the 25-19 victory.
The Lions finish Thursday with a 3-4 overall record and return to action Friday at the Gorilla Classic.
