Kansas City, Mo. – The 2018 season for the Missouri S&T women's volleyball team came to an end this Saturday (Nov. 3) afternoon but the Miners walked off the court at Rockhurst with heads held high following an inspiring 3-2 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) come-from-behind setback (20-25, 25-16, 22-25, 25-21, 14-16) to the Hawks at RU's Mason-Halpin Field House. 

Missouri S&T, which lost a 3-2 conference road decision to William Jewell Friday night (Nov. 2), won the fourth set to force a deciding fifth one after being down 2-1 through the match's initial three sets.  The Miners end their season at 15-15 overall and 7-11 in the GLVC while Rockhurst, which has earned a GLVC Tournament berth, improved to 27-6 overall and 14-4 in the conference to date this fall.  

The Miners featured four individuals with double-figure kill totals led by senior outside hitter Carlie Combs (O'Fallon, Mo./St. Dominic)' match-leading 20 total.  Junior outside hitter Emilee Schlader (Lewiston, Idaho/Lewiston) had 16 kills, sophomore right-side hitter Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State) compiled 11 and, senior right-side hitter Ellen Schulz (Wildwood, Mo./Eureka) added 10 kills for S&T, which turned in a .148 attack percentage as a team.  Redshirt sophomore setter Sarah McGinnis (Middleton, Wis./Edgewood) directed the Miner offense and finished with 41 assists while freshman setter Sarah Cavanaugh (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Thunder Ridge) contributed 21 helpers in a relief capacity.

Junior defensive specialist-libero Corrine Stulce was tops for the Miners in digs with a career match-high 45, which paced four S&T players in double digits.  Carlie Combs (O'Fallon, Mo./St. Dominic) garnered 17 digs, Sarah McGinnis (Middleton, Wis./Edgewood) chalked up 15, and junior defensive specialist-libero Eva Mich (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central) provided 14 digs as the Miners ended the match with a 119-115 digs edge.  RU's Kalie Arnold led all participants with 51 digs and was one of five individuals to notch double-figures in the defensive statistical category. 
  
Set 1: RU 25 – S&T 20
The opening set was a highly-competitive one as 11 tie scores and six lead changes occurred as both teams struggled in hitting proficiency.  The Miners, who hit for a .057 percentage to the Hawks' .087 percent, were able to tie the score all up at 20 apiece on an Emilee Schlader (Lewiston, Idaho/Lewiston) kill only to have Rockhurst counter with five straight points to take the win. 

Set 2: S&T 25 – RU 16
An 8-2 scoring run midway through the second set proved to be the difference maker in S&T's victory as the Miners evened up the match at one set each.  S&T, which registered a .275 hitting percentage in the set, held an 11-10 lead before increasing its advantage to 19-12.  The Miners were able to keep the Hawks from getting any closer than six points (21-15) the rest of the way. 

Set 3: RU 25 – S&T 22
The Hawks' produced their best hitting performance of the match in set three by connecting on a .302 percentage though S&T was able to hit for .216 percent.  The set was close one near the end as the Miners only trailed by one at 21-20 after Emilee Schlader's (Lewiston, Idaho/Lewiston) kill.  Another Schlader kill would follow after Rockhurst picked up a point to get S&T's deficit back to one again (22-21).  But, the Hawks would tally three of the final four points.   

Set 4: S&T 25 – RU 21
Set four saw S&T reverse the outcome to its favor as the Miners accounted for the final three points to even the match.  The set, which consisted of eight ties and three lead exchanges, was knotted at 19-all as the Miners fought back from a three-point deficit (19-16).  S&T then reeled off three consecutive points to go ahead 22-19 and maintained its lead for the remainder.  The Miners generated a .103 hitting percentage for set four while Rockhurst managed to register a .057 percentage on its offensive attempts.

Set 5: RU 16 – S&T 14
The deciding fifth set was a battle of wills between the two in-state teams.  The squads were deadlock at four before the Hawks tallied four straight points to take an 8-4 lead.  The Miners were gradually able to chip away at their deficit and draw to within a point at 13-12 on a Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State) kill.  Two RU attack errors would follow putting S&T at set point with its 14-13 lead and prompting a Hawks timeout.  A pair of kills from Karli Reichert out of the break put Rockhurst out in front at 15-14 and a setting miscue by S&T awarded the set winning point to the host team.