Rolla, Mo. – The Missouri S&T women's volleyball team battled but couldn't break nationally 13th-ranked Drury as the Miners dropped a 3-1 hard-fought decision (25-22, 25-17, 19-25, 25-21) to the Panthers this Tuesday (Oct. 23) night in Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) action before a crowd of 243 fans at S&T's Gibson Arena. 

The instate conference match, which was billed as White Out Night, was a competitive one as the two teams combined for 28 tie scores and 14 lead changes in the four-set contest.

Senior outside hitter Carlie Combs (O'Fallon, Mo./St. Dominic) led the way for S&T from an offensive standpoint with a match-high 15 kills to lead three Miners in double figures.  Senior right-side hitter Ellen Schulz (Wildwood, Mo./Eureka) totaled 14 kills on 33 attempts for a .333 attack percentage and junior outside hitter Emilee Schlader (Lewiston, Idaho/Lewiston) supplied 12 kills.  Sophomore right-side hitter Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State) recorded nine kills for S&T, which drops to 14-12 overall and 6-8 in the GLVC with the setback.

Sophomore setter Aubrey Sowers (Coralville, Iowa/Iowa City West) received the starting nod and totaled 25 assists for the match while freshman setter Sarah Cavanaugh (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Thunder Ridge) set up 22 assists.  Junior defensive specialist-libero Corinne Stulce (St. Charles, Mo./Duchesne) notched a team-leading 17 digs, Emilee Schlader (Lewiston, Idaho/Lewiston) had 11, and Aubrey Sowers (Coralville, Iowa/Iowa City West) chalked up 11 digs.  Junior defensive specialist-libero Eva Mich (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central) garnered nine digs and Carlie Combs (O'Fallon, Mo./St. Dominic) added eight as the Miners racked up a 65-digs team total. 

In blocking, both squads compiled 10 total team blocks apiece.  Freshman middle hitter Kiernan O'Boyle (Kansas City, Mo./St. Teresa's Academy) led S&T with two block solos and five block assists.  Emilee Schlader (Lewiston, Idaho/Lewiston) also had a productive night at the net with four block solos. 

Drury, which is presently ranked 13th nationally in this week's (Oct. 22) American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) NCAA Division II Top 25 Poll, improves to 22-4 overall and 12-2 in the GLVC with the win as the Panthers won for the eighth time in their last nine appearances to date.  

Set 1: DU 25 – S&T 22
The opening set was close throughout as evident by seven tie scores.  Drury would snap a 12-all tie and held the lead the rest of the way despite the Miners rallying on a couple of occasions to get within a single point.  Late in the set, S&T closed to within two points at 23-21 on a Carlie Combs (O'Fallon, Mo./St. Dominic)' kill to force a Panther timeout.  Drury took advantage of the brief stoppage in play to claim two of the set's final three points to take a 1-0 lead.

Set 2: DU 25 – S&T 17
Drury would come away victorious in the second set, which consisted of 11 ties and seven lead changes.  The score was all even at 14 through the first 28 points scored before the Panthers tallied back-to-back points to regain its advantage for good.  S&T got within a point at 16-15 on a Emilee Schlader (Lewiston, Idaho/Lewiston) kill, but Drury tallied five consecutive points to go up 21-15 as the margin proved too much for the Miners to overcome.  The Panthers produced their best hitting performance of the match in set two at .242 with 11 kills and three errors in 33 opportunities while S&T compiled a .146 attack percentage (14-8-41). 

Set 3: S&T 25 – DU 19
The Miners, who would generate a match-best .314 hitting percentage (16-5-35) in the third set, prevailed as S&T overcame eight ties and three lead changes.  A 6-3 S&T scoring run broke up a 12-all deadlock and gave the host team an 18-15 lead.  Drury, which posted a .206 hit percentage (11-4-34), did narrow its deficit to two points 20-18 only to have the Miners finish out the set by going on a 5-1 points spurt. 

Set 4: DU 25 – S&T 21
The fourth set saw Drury jump out to an 11-4 lead before the Miners chipped away to get within three at 18-15 as a result of a Panther service error.  S&T was able to draw within three points again at 20-17, but the Panthers reeled off three straight points to increase its margin to 23-17.  The Miners earned the next two points before DU tallied one to develop a set point situation.  A Carlie Combs (O'Fallon, Mo./St. Dominic)' kill made the score 24-20 in favor of Drury and the Panthers put the finishing touches on the win with a kill on set point.

Up Next: Missouri S&T continues its final homestand of the 2018 campaign this Friday (Oct. 26) as the Miners go up against the Bulldogs in their annual Dig Pink Match.  Opening serve is at 7 p.m. (CT) in Gibson Arena.

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