Liberty, Mo. – Missouri S&T's volleyball team ended its 2017 season on a high note rallying from an 0-2 deficit to defeat William Jewell 3-2 in its season finale on Saturday afternoon at the Mabee Center in Liberty, Mo.
Claire Friedlund (Parkville, Mo./Park Hill South) and
Ellen Schulz (Wildwood, Mo./Eureka) finished with 11 kills each for the Miners (10-21, 3-15 GLVC).
Both teams struggled to find their offensive rhythm in the first set as S&T hit a negative .073 and William Jewell (10-21, 4-14 GLVC) had an attack percentage of .000. The Miners trailed 22-19 after a kill from Grace Miller before scoring four of the next five points to even the set at 23. S&T was unable to complete the comeback in the opener as the Cardinals scored the final two points to win 25-23.
William Jewell led from start to finish in the second set as it had an attack percentage of .256 and registered 18 kills in the frame. The Miners trailed by as many as four points but were able to cut the deficit to 18-17 but just like the opening set were unable to complete the comeback as the Cardinals ended the stanza on a 7-3 run.
S&T raced out to a five point lead early in set three but Jewell was able to rally to take the lead at 15-14 on a kill by Elizabeth Quinn. The Miners bounced back scoring five of the next six points to regain the lead. The Cardinals cut the lead to 23-22 after an ace from Stefanie Richterkessing and forced S&T to take a timeout. After the timeout, the Miners were able to hold off the comeback scoring two of the last three points to win 25-23 and extend the match.
S&T used a 7-0 run midway through set four to build a seven-point lead and wouldn't relinquish the advantage as it went onto win 25-16 to force winner take all fifth set. The Miners had a hitting percentage of .258 in the frame recording 13 kills against five errors in 31 chances.
Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State) had four kills in the frame while Friedlund, Schulz and
Emilee Schlader (Lewiston, Idaho/Lewiston) added two kills each.
S&T fell behind early in set five and were down 13-7 late in the set when it began to make a comeback scoring five straight points, the last two on blocks, to make it 13-12. The Cardinals got a kill from Maddie Wingert to make it 14-12 to set up match point but the Miners scored the final four points of the match to win 16-14.
S&T finished the match hitting just .097 but committed 16 fewer errors than William Jewell. Friedlund and Schulz were joined in double figures by Schlader who had 10 kills and she also finished with seven blocks, three in set five alone.
Sarah McGinnis (Middleton, Wis./Edgewood) dished out 23 assists and Schlader had 21 digs.
Wingert led the Cardinals with 16 kills while Elizabeth Quinn added 15 kills. Alix Weigel handed out 34 assists and Olivia Tolberd had a match-high 30 digs.
