Volleyball Moves to 12-3 With Sweep of Emporia State

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Sept. 21, 2018) - It wasn't always easy at times, but the 13th-ranked Central Missouri Jennies Volleyball team swept Emporia State at home Friday night, 3-0 (30-28, 28-26, 25-13) to move to 12-3 on the year and 3-1 in the MIAA.

How it Happened
• This match was ripe with long rallies as evidenced by the Jennies 87 digs and the Hornets 78 in just three sets. 
• UCM maintained an advantage by landing 14 more kills, 53-39, while both squads had 158 attempts.
• The Jennies also picked up more three more service aces and two more blocks.
• The first two sets were real battles that needed more than 25 points to determine a winner. Both sets saw 12 ties and set one had six lead changes and set two seven.
• Central Missouri had 22 kills in set one. With the score tied at four, UCM went on a 7-2 run to take a five-point lead at 11-6. The Jens got four kills and three ESU attack errors in the stretch. The Jens still led by four, 14-10, when the Hornets rattled off five straight points, getting four kills in the process. UCM was quickly able to tie and retake the lead and appeared to be in good position after a kill from Hohlen made it 23-20 in favor of the home team. The Hornets fought back to tie at 23, then took set-point on five straight occasions, but couldn't put the Jennies away. Hannah VanBuskirk tied the set at 28-all with a kill, Abby Skrastins gave the Jens a lead at 29-28 with a service aces, and VanBuskirk finished it off with her fifth kill of the set.
• Set two wasn't much different except this time, it was the Jennies who were behind for most of the frame. The Hornets led by as many as four, 11-7, but couldn't keep the Jens out of it. Central Missouri took their first lead since 3-2 on an Audrey Fisher kill that made it 19-18. The two teams traded points the rest of the way and with the score still knotted at 26-all, Kylie Hohlen finished it off with a kill and a service ace to put the Jens up 2-0 with a 28-26 win. She had seven kills and nine digs in set two.
• The third set was all Central Missouri. ESU scored the first point on a UCM attack error, but the Jens scored the next seven and never trailed again. ESU worked their way back to within one, 8-7, but a 7-2 Jennies spurt made it a 15-9 set and knocked the Hornets out. 

Jennies Stat Leaders
• Kylie Hohlen picked up a game-best 19 kills. She also recorded a double-double with 14 digs while adding a service ace and a block.
• Ally Offerdahl had a busy evening with 39 assists and 21 digs.
• Audrey Fisher hit .357 for the match with 13 kills and also put back six blocks on defense.
• Abby Skrastins secured a game-high 24 digs and gave out six assists.
• Hannah VanBuskirk added 10 kills.

For the Hornets
• Taylor Otting led the offense with 11 kills and had 18 digs.
• Allie Maloney had a team-best 22 digs.
• Tatum Graves scored seven kills and four blocks.
• Emma Dixon passed out 22 assists with eight digs.
• Yuchen Du recorded eight kills, eight digs and 10 assists.

News and Notes
• Central Missouri improves to 6-0 at home this season and have won 19 straight in Warrensburg.
• The 19 kills by Kylie Hohlen are a new career-high as are the 20.5 points.
• UCM's 22 kills in set one marks just the second time this season UCM has hit for 22 kills in a set.
• Ally Offerdahl's double-double is her 10th this season. She also reached 500 career digs in the match.
• Abby Skrastins' two service aces gives her 25 for her career.

Up Next
• Central Missouri concludes their three-match home stand with Washburn, Saturday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m. The Hornets are one of two undefeated teams in the MIAA at 4-0 and are yet to drop a match this season a 16-0 record after their 3-1 win over Lindenwood Friday evening.