ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (Oct. 7, 2016) – Eleventh-ranked Central Missouri held a 2-1 match lead against Missouri Western, but couldn't hang on, falling in five sets 3-2 (25-14, 19-25, 25-20, 23-25, 12-25). The loss puts the Jennies at 13-5 this season and evens their record at 3-3 in the MIAA.
The Jennies hit seven more kills than the Griffons, though both teams were under a .200 hitting percentage.
Cheyanne Lyons led UCM with 12 kills while
Molly Lawrence (11) and
Maddie Jones (10) were in double-figures. Freshman
Rylee Neigenfind landed a career-high eight kills.
Tyler Downs at setter passed out a a career-best 42 assists and
Kylie Hohlen saw time at libero and picked up a career-high 29 digs.
After both teams were jockeying at the start, the Jennies took a five point lead, 9-4 and never trailed, easily taking first set 25-14.
Maddie Jones landed four kills in the set and the Griffons hit -0.61 making eight attack errors.
Missouri Western never trailed in the second set as they evened up the match at one apiece. The Griffons took a commanding lead from the outset, 8-2, with the help of a 5-0 stretch. UCM fought back and kills from Lawrence and
Rylee Neigenfind brought the Jens within two, 15-13. That's as close as they came though as the Griffons quickly went back up by five, before winning the set 25-19.
The third set saw a number of runs with the Griffons coming back on multiple occasions, but in the end the Jennies were able to hold them off to take a 2-1 lead. UCM led 12-7 after using a 4-0 run, but MWSU came right back with five straight of their own to tie. The Jennies again held a lead, 15-12, only to see that disappear as the set was tied again 18-18. The Jennies though got two kills from Neigenfind and one from Jones and outscored Missouri Western 7-2 down the stretch, ending things on a kill from Neigenfind.
A back-and-forth fourth set saw the Jennies lead for most of it, but the Griffons clawed back to force a deciding fifth set. The Jens opened the frame scoring the first three points and maintained a slight lead. The teams traded blows until Missouri Western was able to end the frame with a kill from Rachel Friedrichs, 25-23.
Missouri Western picked up where they left off in the fourth set, scoring the first three points of the shortened frame. UCM came right back to tie things at three though, but back on top went the Griffons, 6-3, after the third straight 3-0 spurt. Missouri Western held on to a slight lead, and a block from Lawrence and Harding re-tied the set at 10. The Jens couldn't get out in front though, and Missouri Western scored five of the final seven points to complete the comeback with a 15-12 set final.
For the Griffons, Stephanie Doak finished with a match-high 13 kills. Kourtney Blaufuss helped out with 37 assists and Kelsey Olion added 20 digs.
Central Missouri is back in action tomorrow night in another AVCA top-25 matchup, their seventh of the season. They host 18
th-ranked Northwest Missouri at the Multipurpose Building. First serve is slated for 7 p.m.
