EAST PEORIA, ILL.- For the first time in program history, the Miner volleyball team will be playing for the GLVC Championship after their 3-1 victory over #1 Lewis tonight. This is the first time 2014 that S&T has recorded a win over the Flyers and will be the first time since the 2005 season that a five-seed will be playing for the top-spot in the conference.

S&T (14-6, 12-6 GLVC) came out swinging against Lewis. After tying the first set at 15-15, S&T would rally for a 5-1 run that included kills from Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State), Avery Reed (Ste. Genevieve, Mo./Ste. Genevieve), and Jordan Burton (Olathe, Kansas/Olathe South Senior High).

Lewis (17-2, 16-1 GLVC) played their way back to get within two of the Miners, but another big offensive push from S&T's front line, as well as a block from Shelby Ply (Rolla, Mo./Rolla) and Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State), broke down the Flyers' defense and took the 25-18 set one win.
The Miners did it again in the second set recording 20 kills and holding Lewis to under .200 hitting.

S&T gained an early 7-3 lead off consecutive kills from Avery Reed (Ste. Genevieve, Mo./Ste. Genevieve) and Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State). Once again, Lewis came screaming back to get within reach of the Miners, and both teams would trade points with one another before a 6-1 run from Missouri S&T put them up 23-16.

While the Miners were able to reach set-point off a kill from Hannah Merjil (Bakersfield, CA/Garces Memorial), Lewis would fight off two set-points before a double block on the right side from Ply and Merjil gave S&T the 25-21 win and a 2-0 lead in the match.
While Lewis took the third set 25-19, the Miners were not going to go away easily.

The Flyers' took an early 12-9 lead to open the fourth set, but S&T held steady getting kills from Gannaway and Burton and another double block from Gannaway and Kiernan O'Boyle (Kansas City, Mo./St. Teresa's Academy). They would use that momentum to outscore Lewis 6-0 to extend their lead out to 19-14.

Five straight kills from Gannaway, Reed, and Ply would give the Miners the 24-15 match-point, but Lewis would try to hold S&T. Three straight points from the Flyers' would make it a 24-18 game, but Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State) would send Lewis packing with her 25^th kill of the match to give S&T the 3-1 match win.

Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State) had a career night with 25 kills for a .333 hitting percentage while adding in 13 digs and three service aces. Jordan Burton (Olathe, Kansas/Olathe South Senior High) and Avery Reed (Ste. Genevieve, Mo./Ste. Genevieve) played major factors in the Miners offense tonight with 15 and 12 kills, respectively, while Reed picked up 16 digs.

Hannah Merjil (Bakersfield, CA/Garces Memorial) led all players with 51 assists while Meiko Pearson (Overland Park, Kansas/Blue Valley Northwest) picked up a team-high 22 digs.

S&T will face-off against #3 Southern Indiana tomorrow at 12pm CST.