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WARRENSBURG, Mo. - It was almost as if they didn't want the night to end. Honoring the Jennies volleyball seniors post game, Central Missouri played one of their longer matches of the season, a five-set thriller in which they needed to come back from a 2-0 deficit. But this was not a night to be spoiled, and the Jennies came back in resounding fashion to win the final three sets and take the match 3-2 (23-25, 28-30, 25-15, 25-14, 15-10).

The win is UCM's seventh straight and puts them at 27-4 and 15-3 in the MIAA. It also gives them a No. 2 seed in next week's MIAA Tournament Championship.

Senior Carly Sojka was one of three Jennies in double-digit kills. She had a match-high 21 and picked up 15 digs for her 13th double-double of the season. Maddie Jones (12) and Kylie Hohlen (10) also were in double-digit digs. Hohlen set a new career-high with 28 digs as well for her third double-double. Haley Thompson chipped in with seven kills and five blocks.

Senior Annie Reilly matched Hohlen with 28 digs and senior Shelby Winkelmann also set a career-high, racking up 25 digs. Reilly also landed three of UCM's eight service aces.

Kourtney Thompson was the center of the Jennies offense with 50 assists while senior Lauren Dudgeon chipped in with a match-high two solo blocks, four total blocks and four kills.

Though the Jennies were able to come back to tie late in both the first and second sets, the Bearcats were able to put both of them away to take a 2-0 lead. NWMSU led by as many as eight, 17-9, before the Jennies tied it at 22-22, but ended the set on back-to-back kills from Miranda Foster. The Jennies were down three, 23-20 before scoring four straight and getting to set point at 24-23, but the Bearcats again showed their fight and took the set in extra points, 30-28.

The Jennies took early leads and both the third and fourth sets and never trailed as they were able to tie up the match 2-2. In the third set, UCM used a 10-2 run to open up a 19-9 lead and cruise to a 25-15 set win. UCM got three straight kills, two from Sojka to end the match.

Sojka put the Jennies on the back in the fourth set, landing eight of her 21 kills. Tied up at five, the Jennies put some distance on the Bearcats with a 6-0 run, highlighted by back-to-back kills from Hohlen and a Winkelmann service ace. Central Missouri put the set away with a kill from Jones.

Despite all the momentum gained from winning sets three and four, UCM found themselves in an early 3-0 hole to start the fifth frame. The Jens were able to turn it around quickly, getting one of Jones' four kills in the set and consecutive service aces from Reilly. NWMSU didn't go quietly though and the set was still in the balance at 7-7. UCM then rattled off four straight points getting a pair of kills from Jones and a service ace from Katie Carlson and never looked back as they completed the comeback with a 15-10 win.

Shelby Duren and Darcy Sunderman led the Bearcats with 18 and 13 kills, respectively. Jordan Trimble (24) and Megan Stillmock (22) each had over 20 assists and Olivia Nowakowski had a match-high 32 digs.

Following the match, Central Missouri honored their five seniors, Lauren Dudgeon, Jessica McDougald, Annie Reilly, Carly Sojka, and Shelby Winkelmann with an on-court presentation.

The Jennies are back in the MIAA Championship Tournament which starts next week. UCM will host the first round match up Tuesday, Nov. 17 against these very same Bearcats. Match time is still TBA.