JOPLIN, Mo. – No. 23 Central Missouri Jennies (18-7, 15-2) defeated the Missouri Southern Lions (13-13, 6-11) by a final score of 3-1 (25-15, 21-25, 25-16, 25-15) on Tuesday, Oct. 31, inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center in Joplin, Mo.
After surrendering the opening two points of the match, UCM responded with a pair of 7-0 runs as outside hitters
Kersti Nix (match-high 18 kills, four digs, and three blocks overall) and
Sydney Lierz (12 digs, six kills, and a match-high two service aces overall) tallied four kills apiece helping the Jens take a 1-0 lead.
The Lions answered with a 25-21 victory in set two tying the match, but the Jennies regained the lead with a 25-16 win in the third highlighted by an 11-1 run sparked by a kill from reigning MIAA Setter of the Week
Olivia Olson (match-high 40 assists, 10 digs, six blocks, and four kills overall).
Central Missouri jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the fourth and never relinquished picking up their sixth consecutive win improving to 15-2 in MIAA play. Middle blockers
Rachel Ziesman (eight kills and three digs overall) and
Elinor Engel (seven kills and a career-high four digs) collected a match-high six blocks, while freshman
Emma Siron had eight kills adding career-highs in digs (five) and blocks (four) respectively.
On the night, the Jens outhit Missouri Southern by a margin of .254 to .096 including .353 to .075 in the fourth thanks to double-digit digs from libero
Grace Winkelmann (team-high 20 digs and five assists overall), junior
Arley Anderson (12 digs overall), and defensive specialist
Jackie Storm (10 digs overall).
No. 23 Central Missouri returns to the court on Saturday, Nov. 4, as they take on the Newman Jets with first serve scheduled for 3:00 p.m. inside Fugate Gymnasium in Wichita, Kan.
