SPRINGFIELD, MO- The Missouri S&T volleyball team opened their delayed season tonight at Drury University (1-0, 1-0 GLVC). While the Miners were able to stop the Panthers from sweeping in three sets, errors from S&T were to blame and Drury took the match 3-1 (22-25, 17-25, 28-26, 14-25).

S&T opened up to a slow start, looking at a 4-0 deficit from the start. The Miners answered right back with kills from Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State) and Jordan Burton (Olathe, Kansas/Olathe South Senior High) and a double block from Shelby Ply (Rolla, Mo./Rolla) and Abigail Widiker (Hammond, Wis./Saint Croix Central) to make it a 4-3 match.

After a service error from S&T, the Miners would go on a 6-0 run that was capped by a block from Kiernen O'Boyle and Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State) to take a 9-5 lead. S&T held their lead for most of set one until Drury got momentum and took a 22-17 lead after a kill from Faith Alwardt. S&T and DU traded points until it got to be 24-19 with a Drury advantage. S&T would play through three set points, but ultimately fall 25-22.

The Miners fell to an 18-8 deficit in the second set before going on a 9-5 run to make it a 23-17 game. Drury would get the final two points of the set off a kill from Taylor Forth and an error from S&T to take the 25-17 set and a 2-0 lead in the match.

After taking a 16-15 lead in the third set behind an offensive surge that was topped off with a kill from Jordan Burton (Olathe, Kansas/Olathe South Senior High), the Miners would trade points with Drury and even get to set point off a service ace from Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State). The Panthers would force S&T's hand, and get to match point, but it was the Miners who prevailed to take the 28-26 set three win and make it a 2-1 match.

It was all Drury in the fourth set; they would get up by as much as 11 before taking the 25-14 win and the 3-1 match win.

Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State) led the way for the Miners with a game-high 15 kills and seven service aces while freshman Jordan Burton (Olathe, Kansas/Olathe South Senior High) was right behind her with 10 kills. Hannah Merjil (Bakersfield, CA/Garces Memorial) had her first game with S&T tonight and dished out 23 assists with Sarah Cavanaugh (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Thunder Ridge) handing out 13.

Shelby Ply (Rolla, Mo./Rolla) led the way at the net for S&T recording a team best six blocks while Kiernan O'Boyle (Kansas City, Mo./St. Teresa's Academy) added in four.

As a team, Missouri S&T (0-1, 0-1 GLVC) finished the match hitting .138 while six different Miners combined for 10.0 blocks on the night.