(HAYS, Kan.) – After dropping the opening two sets, the seventh-ranked Central Missouri Jennies come back to take the final three and defeat the Fort Hays State Tigers, 22-25, 30-32, 25-19, 28-26, 15-9. Senior hitter Allie Huffman set career highs with 22 kills and five total blocks.
      The Jennies nearly overcame seven hitting errors and a .146 hitting percentage in the opening set, but gave up a 7-3 run after gaining a narrow 19-18 lead. The second set saw more of the same from Central Missouri, who was able to stay close in spite of struggling offensively. The set saw 18 ties and 10 lead changes, as neither team could go on more than a two-point run late in the set, until with a 30-29 UCM advantage, the Tigers got two kills from Jenna Ulrich and an error from the Jennies to win the set, 32-30. The game went down as the longest the Jennies have played since 2007, when sets were played in a first-to-30 format.
      The Jennies turned the corner in the third set, hitting at a .304 average and finishing on a 9-3 run for the win. Fort Hays nearly closed out the match in the fourth set, as both sides traded serves with a 22-22 tie. After four rotations, Taylor Goodness teamed up with Huffman to put down two points for the 28-26 win. Central Missouri returned to form in the shortened fifth set, taking the opening three points and leading throughout.
      In the back row, both Taylor Krejci and Kelsey Ortwerth recorded new career highs with 37 and 23 digs, respectively. As a team, the Jens posted a season high 14 total blocks, as senior Paula Harris tied her career best with eight blocks. Harris also lead the team with 23 kills and a .375 hitting percentage. Sophomore setter Julia Bates finished with 58 assists, just two shy of her personal best of 60, set last season. The Jennies improve to 9-1 in MIAA play and 19-4 overall, and will next travel to Bolivar, Mo. to take on Southwest Baptist on October 25.