EMPORIA, Kan. – No. 24 Central Missouri Jennies (14-5, 6-3 MIAA) fell to the (Receiving Votes) Emporia State Hornets (16-3, 7-1 MIAA) by a final score of 3-2 (25-19, 26-28, 18-25, 25-23, 10-15) Friday, Oct. 17, from White Auditorium in Emporia.     
 
After splitting the opening two sets of the match, the Hornets took the lead with a 25-18 victory in the third. Central Missouri trailed 10-11 in the fourth, but thanks to a kill from Kayla Baer (match-high 54 assists, 13 digs, and three kills overall), the Jens opened a 4-1 run capped off by a Shaye Koski kill (13 kills overall).
 
Moments later, head coach Caitlin Peterson successfully challenged a kill by ESU, giving the Jens a 16-14 lead. Central Missouri went on to force a fifth set thanks to a Rachel Ziesman (10 kills and four blocks overall) and Lauren Blake (two kills overall) block for a 25-23 victory.
 
In the fifth, the Jens trailed 9-3 before climbing back to within a pair on a 4-0 run with a kill from Kaelyn McDonald (13 kills overall). The Hornets answered with a 4-1 run of their own and claimed their 16^th win of the season.
 
Redshirt sophomore Emma Siron led UCM offensively with a match-high 18 kills on 39 swings (.385 hitting percentage), adding 17 digs for good measure, while Blue Springs, Mo. native Maya Fergerson had seven kills.
 
Four Jens ended the match with double-figure digs on the night, including 16 from reigning MIAA Defensive Athlete of the Week Grace Winkelmann, while defensive specialists Kirsten Harper and Brenna Kelly collected 12 digs each.
 
No. 24 Central Missouri continues MIAA play Friday, Oct. 24, as they head to Joplin, Mo., for a match with the Missouri Southern Lions (8-11, 2-6 MIAA), beginning at 6:00 p.m. inside Robert Ellis Young Gymnasium.