EAST PEORIA, ILL.- The Miners (13-6, 13-6 GLVC) picked up a 3-0 sweep over the Hawks of Quincy University and earned a spot in the semi-finals of the Great Lakes Valley Tournament.
 
S&T came out swinging in the first set; they took control of the match from the first serve and found themselves with an early 8-3 lead after back-to-back kills from Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State) and Avery Reed (Ste. Genevieve, Mo./Ste. Genevieve) as well as a service ace from Hannah Merjil (Bakersfield, CA/Garces Memorial).
 
Along with putting down 11 kills, the Miners went after Quincy's serve-receive and recorded four service aces between Merjil and Jordan Burton (Olathe, Kansas/Olathe South Senior High).
 
After S&T made it a 24-15 game, the Hawks would attempt a comeback, but were only able to fight off one set point. Avery Reed (Ste. Genevieve, Mo./Ste. Genevieve), who had five of her six kills in the first set, ended the set with a kill and would give the Miner the 25-16 set one win.
 
The Miners would once again take an early lead to start set two. Kills from Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State), Shelby Ply (Rolla, Mo./Rolla), and Kiernan O'Boyle (Kansas City, Mo./St. Teresa's Academy) along with a big block from Ply and Merjil would put S&T up 15-9. They would extend their lead out to as much as 19-10 after three consecutive kills from Jordan Burton (Olathe, Kansas/Olathe South Senior High).
 
Looking at a 21-11 deficit, the Hawks made a small run of their own to cut the Miners lead to 21-15. But, errors would threaten Quincy's comeback and give S&T the 25-17 win and a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
S&T fought from behind in the third set of the match; facing a 17-14 deficit, the Miners would regain their lead on a 5-0 run that included kills from Kiernan O'Boyle (Kansas City, Mo./St. Teresa's Academy) and Jordan Burton (Olathe, Kansas/Olathe South Senior High) as well as two blocks from both of them for the 19-17 edge.
 
It would be a race to the end, but the Miners would outlast the Hawks after a kill from Shelby Ply (Rolla, Mo./Rolla) and a double block from Ply and Hannah Merjil (Bakersfield, CA/Garces Memorial) gave S&T the 25-23 set win and the 3-0 match.
 
Jordan Burton (Olathe, Kansas/Olathe South Senior High) led the way for the Miners with 10 kills and a .563 hitting percentage while Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State) added in nine kills and seven digs. Avery Reed (Ste. Genevieve, Mo./Ste. Genevieve), who led the team with 10 digs, added in six kills while Shelby Ply (Rolla, Mo./Rolla) and Kiernan O'Boyle (Kansas City, Mo./St. Teresa's Academy) recorded five kills each.
 
S&T had a big night of blocking; the team combined for nine blocks while O'Boyle got her hands on six of them.
 
The Miners will play tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. against the winner of #1 Lewis and #8 Truman State.