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KEARNEY, Neb. - Finding themselves down two sets to one and on the verge of elimination from the MIAA Tournament, the eighth-ranked Central Missouri Jennies rallied to win the final two sets, upsetting the fourth-ranked Washburn Lady Blues, 25-22, 24-26, 13-25, 25-23, 15-11, in the MIAA Tournament semifinals Friday night at  Nebraska-Kearney.

Freshman hitter Carly Sojka helped lead the Jennies to the come-from-behind victory thanks in part to her 12th double-double of the season. The Blue Springs native tallied 17 kills along with a career high 26 digs in the five-set win. Junior setter Julia Bates came just a pair of kills and digs away from a triple-double, collecting eight kills, eight digs, and 43 assists.

The first set was incredibly even matched. Both sides collected 14 kills; the Jennies averaged a .194 hitting percentage, but held the Lady Blues to just .186.  Both teams sided out their opponent 16 times, and there were ten ties and four lead changes in the opener. After head coach Flip Piontek called the timeout at 21-21, the Jennies broke the tie with a kill from Bradye Peniston at 22-21. A Washburn attack error gave UCM a 23-21 edge, as the Lady Blues used their final timeout. Sojka gave the Jennies set point with a kill at 24-21, and UCM won the first after both sides committed attack errors, 25-22.

Central Missouri jumped out to a big 7-1 lead early in the second set, with kills coming from Peniston and Bates, and Washburn committing four attack errors. The Lady Blues used both of their timeouts during the run, but it paid off as they used a 5-0 run to climb back in the set, 12-11. Washburn tied the score three times before finally getting out in front with a kill from WU's Kelsey Lewis at 22-21. A ball handling error gave Washburn a two point edge at 23-21, but the Jens scored two straight, with a Washburn error and a kill from Bates at 23-23. WU earned the set point with a kill in the following play, then Sojka kept the Jens alive with a kill to tie it again at 24-24. The Lady Blues scored the final two points to earn the set with a pair of kills, 26-24.

The Jennies fell into trouble in the third set, going down 11-4 in the first half of the third set. UCM made a quick 3-1 run to cut the Washburn lead to 13-8. The Lady Blues essentially put the set away at that point, taking an 11-1 run to earn set point at 24-9. Central Missouri survived for four points before giving up the set, 25-13.

After a close start to the fourth set left both teams tied at 11-11, Washburn scored six of the next seven points to go ahead of the Jennies 17-12, and were eight points away from closing out the match. Sojka and Peniston teamed up for two kills, sandwiched around a WU attack error, to cut the lead to 17-15. Two straight kills from Washburn's Jessica Fey pushed the Lady Blue advantage back up to 19-15. Peniston and Hillary McCormick scored kills, while a ball handling error was called on Washburn, narrowing the lead to 19-18, as Washburn called a timeout. After another kill from Fey put the Lady Blues up 20-18, UCM tallied three straight points to take their first lead of the set at 21-20. Both teams traded kills, until at 22-22, junior Taylor Goodness knocked down two straight points to give the Jens set point at 24-22. Sojka finished off the set at 25-23, forcing a fifth and final game.

The Jens found themselves down again in the deciding game, after Washburn scored three straight to take an 8-5 lead. Peniston and Bates then teamed up for two straight blocks, making it 8-7, then Bates' kill tied the set at 8-8. After Washburn reclaimed a 9-8 lead, the Jens answered with four straight points, including kills from Peniston and Goodness, and a service ace from freshman Annie Reilly, which put UCM in front, 12-9. Goodness closed out the match with her kill, winning the set 15-11.

Along with Sojka's 17 kills, Peniston also reached double figures on offense, talling 14 kills. Reilly finished with 25 digs on the back line, while defensive specialists Mikalee Monachino and Sara Rooney each collected 17. On the front line, Peniston led the defense with six blocks.

With the win, the Jennies advance to Saturday night's MIAA Tournament final, where they will face the winner of fifth-seeded Emporia State, and top seed #2 Nebraska-Kearney. The championship match is set for a 7 p.m. start.