ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The receiving votes Central Missouri Jennies (7-4, 0-0 MIAA) defeated the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns (7-5, 1-0 GAC) by a final score of 3-1 (25-20, 25-19, 20-25, 25-19) before taking down the McKendree Bearcats by a final score of 3-1 (25-21, 20-25, 25-23, 25-13), Saturday, Sept. 12, during the final day of the Holiday Inn Express Griffon Volleyball Invitational, inside MWSU Fieldhouse, in St. Joseph, Mo.
The Jens return to the court on Tuesday, Sept. 15, as they take on the Rockhurst Hawks (4-4, 0-0 GLVC) at 6:00 p.m., inside Mason-Halpin Field House in Kansas City, Mo.
Match 1: RV Central Missouri 3, Arkansas Tech 1 (25-20, 25-19, 20-25, 25-19)
After beginning the match on a 6-2, highlighted by a pair of kills by
Maya Fergerson (11 kills and two digs overall), the Jens closed out the set on a 12-3 run, winning by a score of 25-20.
Central Missouri had a 10-1 run in the second, with a pair of kills from middle blocker
Grace Wagers (17 kills on 30 swings, for a .467 attack percentage, adding four total blocks overall) and
Ashlynn Jaccard (nine kills, four blocks, three digs, and two service aces overall), before taking an eight-point lead en route to doubling their advantage with a 25-19 victory.
The Golden Suns answered with a five-point victory in the third, but UCM responded in the fourth with a 15-5 run, taking a nine-point advantage, en route to a 25-19 victory, securing the Jens' sixth win of the year.
Central Missouri out-hit the Golden Suns by a margin of .274 to .175 in the winning effort, as middle blocker
Kaelyn McDonald (four total blocks) had seven kills on 18 swings (.389 hitting percentage), plus outside hitter
Shaye Koski had five kills.
Omaha, Neb. native
Chloe Rauner recorded her team-leading fourth double-double performance of the season with a match-high 39 assists, adding 12 digs, five kills on nine swings (.556 attack percentage), three service aces, and two blocks.
Libero
Ragin Corwin led the Jens defensively in the back row with 16 digs, adding three assists and two service aces, while freshman
Evynn Olsen collected 14 digs, along with two assists and two service aces in the winning effort.
Senior
Kirsten Harper had seven digs and two assists, while defensive specialist
Brenna Kelly ended the match with six digs and a career-high three assists for good measure.
Match 2: RV Central Missouri 3, McKendree 1 (25-21, 20-25, 25-23, 25-13)
Central Missouri took the opening set with a four-point victory in the final match of the Holiday Inn Express Griffon Invitational, closing out the frame on an 11-6 run, highlighted by a trio of kills from Leavenworth, Kan. native
Ashlynn Jaccard, who ended the match with 10 kills on 13 swings (.692 hitting percentage), adding a match-high five total blocks and five digs.
The Bearcats answered with a five-point victory in the second, before the Jens regained the lead with a 25-23 victory in the third set, finishing the frame on another 11-6 run, with a pair of kills from
Shaye Koski (match-best 14 kills on 34 swings, for a .353 attack percentage overall) and
Sammy Klotz (career-high nine kills on 20 swings, for a .350 hitting percentage).
Central Missouri closed out the tournament with a 12-point win in the fourth set, thanks to a 16-5 kill, with Lee's Summit, Mo. native
Kaelyn McDonald contributing 10 kills on 22 swings (.455 attack percentage), adding a pair of blocks in the winning effort.
Setter
Chloe Rauner had a match-high 32 assists and seven digs, while Andover, Kan. native
Bella Holcomb had 14 assists and three digs, as the Jens out-hit McKendree by a margin of .338-to-.229 on the afternoon, while junior
Grace Wagers had nine kills on 15 swings (.533 hitting percentage), adding five blocks.
Blue Springs, Mo. native
Ragin Corwin led Central Missouri defensively in the back row with 10 digs, adding eight assists, while outside hitter
Bree Messenger had nine digs, and freshman
Evynn Olsen collected eight digs.
Kirsten Harper had five digs and
Brenna Kelly contributed four digs as the Jens improved to 4-1 in four-set matches on the year.
