(WARRENSBURG, Mo.) – With the MIAA Championship and possibly a top seed in the NCAA Tournament on the line, the No. 7 Central Missouri Jennies defeated the No. 4 Washburn Lady Blues 25-16, 25-23, 25-22 on UCM's Senior Night. The Jennies get payback after Washburn's 3-1 win in Topeka earlier this season.
            The Jens had to grind out all three sets, with Washburn hanging with UCM the entire match. Washburn jumped out to a 5-1 lead to start the opening set before the Jennies took five of the next six points to tie the match at six. An attack error gave the Jens an 8-7 edge and UCM held on to lead the rest of the way for a 25-16 win, but it would go down as one of the easier stretches in the match.
            The second set was the turning point in the entire match, with 15 ties and eight lead changes. Washburn built up a 22-19 lead after a service ace, forcing UCM to kill the momentum with a timeout. The Jennies answered immediately with a kill from Julia Bates, followed by an attack error from the Lady Blues. An ace from Taylor Krejci tied the match at 22, and back-to-back Washburn errors gave the set to UCM.
            The Lady Blues looked ready to get back into the match in the third set, leading early. The Jennies went on a four point run highlighted by a pair of kills from Taylor Goodness to turn an 11-7 Washburn lead into an 11-11 tie. The Jennies took a 14-13 lead thanks to a kill from Allie Huffman and never looked back.
            The four UCM seniors, Taylor Krejci, Allie Huffman, Paula Harris, and Kelsey Ortwerth enjoyed their first regular season win over Washburn since 2009. Huffman posted a double-double with 13 kills and 12 digs; the match was Huffman's 100th with double-digit kills in her four-year career. Harris finished with 12 kills and a .524 hitting percentage, while Ortwerth (14 digs) and Krejci (10 digs) both reached double-figures. Sophomore setter Julia Bates also posted a double-double in the match, recording 44 assists and 10 digs.
            The Jennies improve to 26-4 on the year, and 16-1 in conference play, pulling into a first-place tie with the Lady Blues. UCM will wrap up the 2011 regular season tomorrow afternoon, as they host Fort Hays State in the Multipurpose Building at 2 p.m.