| Box Score 2

(Rolla, Mo.) – The Missouri S&T Lady Miners split a pair of matches on the final day of the Middle of Everywhere Classic. S&T let a 2-0 lead slip away in a 3-2 (25-19, 25-21, 13-25, 24-26, 12-15) to Southeastern Oklahoma then rebounded to sweep Missouri Western 3-0 (25-12, 25-20, 26-24).

In the opener against Southeastern Oklahoma (2-6), the Lady Miners (5-3) got off to a strong start racing out to 10-3 lead. The Savage Storm eventually closed within 13-11 before S&T went on another extended run building its lead to as many as nine at 23-14. SOSU closed within five before a kill by Katie Herington (Kalona, Iowa/Mid-Prairie) ended the first set.

The second set was tighter with 11 ties and six lead changes. The Savage Storm led by as many as four at 15-11 before S&T came back to tie and eventually take the lead. SOSU regained a late lead at 20-19, but the Lady Miners finished with a flurry scoring six of the final seven points to win 25-21.

The third set was tight up until the midway point when Southeastern Oklahoma went on an 11-2 run to take a 20-11 lead. S&T didn't do themselves any favors in the third set committing 10 attack errors and hit a negative seven percent for the frame.

The fourth set was again tight through the midway point before the Lady Miners went on a 9-1 surge to grab an eight point lead at 18-10. It didn't stay that way for long though as SOSU ran off six straight points to get within a pair at 18-16.

Jennifer Costello (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway South ) but a brief end to the run with a kill to make it 19-16 before the Savage Storm tied it with three straight points. Herington gave S&T a 20-19 lead with a kill but it wouldn't lead again as SOSU closed the set scoring seven of the final 11 points to set up the fifth and deciding game.

The final set was tied at 10 all before the Savage Storm ran off five of the final seven points to win the match.

As a team the Lady Miners finished the match hitting under 10 percent. They recorded 54 kills but committed 39 errors, 29 of those in the final three sets. Erin Bekebrede (St. Charles, Mo./St. Charles) finished with 13 kills to lead S&T. Samantha Klump (Ash Grove, Mo./Homeschooled) had nine while Costello dished out 39 set assists and Bekebrede and Bridget Williams (Topeka, Kan./Hayden) had 20 digs apiece.

Southeastern Oklahoma hit 15.5 percent for the match and were led by Lunden Azuara with 14 kills and Courtney Miller with 11. Chelsea White dished out 25 assists while Azuara dug up 16 balls off the floor.

In the final match against Missouri Western (4-4) the opening set was all S&T as it scored the first three points of the match and wouldn't look back. The Griffons eventually closed within a pair, but a 10-2 run gave the Lady Miners an 18-8 lead they wouldn't relinquish. S&T finished the opening set hitting a blistering 62 percent recording 16 kills in 26 chances with no errors.

The Lady Miners got off to another strong start in the second set scoring the first six points and never gave up the lead. MWSU closed within 19-18 late but got no closer as S&T finished the frame on a 6-2 run to take the commanding 2-0 lead.

The final set was a lot tighter as it saw nine ties and six lead changes. It was tied 14 all when the Lady Miners scored four straight to take an 18-14 advantage. Missouri Western came back to tie and eventually took a 24-23 lead. Down a set point S&T finished strong getting back-to-back kills from Hayley Wright (Omaha, Neb./Millard West) and Bekebrede to set up match point. Annie Smith (St. Louis, Mo./Incarnate Word Academy) then served it out with a service ace to give the Lady Miners a 26-24 win.

After its blistering offensive pace to start the match the S&T offense cooled over the next two sets but still finished at nearly a 40 percent clip. The Lady Miners finished with 52 kills against nine errors and had three players in double figures led by Bekebrede with 17 kills. Klump and Wright added 12 and 10 respectively. Costello dished out 46 assists while Williams and Kit Spears (Valley Center, Kan./Valley Center) had 14 digs each.

The Griffons finished the match hitting 17 percent and were led by Kelli Sicner with 10 kills and Tahler Johnston with nine. Stephanie Hattey had 27 assists and Sicner had 12 digs.

S&T is back at home next weekend when it opens GLVC play next Friday night against Illinois-Springfield at 7 p.m.

Listed below is the 2010 Middle of Everywhere Classic All-Tournament Team