ROLLA, Mo. – The Missouri S&T volleyball team was back in action Tuesday night at Gibson Arena to open a busy stretch at home, with five of the next six in the friendly confines, against Drury University in Great Lakes Valley Conference action. The Panthers (9-5, 2-3) took the opening frame of the night before the Miners (9-3, 3-1) stormed back to win the next three sets to capture a 3-1 victory (25-27, 25-17, 25-14, 28-26).
 
Drury tallied the first two points of the night before the Miners scored the next three by way of a Payton Gannaway (Lawrence, KS/Lawrence Free State) kill, Kiernan O'Boyle (Kansas City, MO/St. Teresa's Academy) ace and a Panther error to take their first lead of the night. Drury came back and retook the lead and held off several challenges by S&T until the Miners, trailing by a pair at 13-11, scored six of the next seven points, highlighted by four Gannaway kills and another by Avery Reed (Ste. Genevieve, MO/Ste. Genevieve). Drury then answered with a run of their own to retake the lead before the two sides entered into a pitched exchange of points in the later stages of the set. Both teams had chances at set point but Drury managed to take advantage, forcing extra points and winning the opener 27-25.
 
The Green & Gold struck first in the second set and scored five of the first seven points led by Gannaway and Reed. Drury briefly tied things at 5-5 but the Miners retook the lead by scoring the next three points, two coming on kills from Burton and Hannah Merjil (Bakersfield, CA/Garces Memorial). S&T continued to lead and fended off a pair of brief challenges before stretching their lead to as much as 11 at 22-11, a run highlighted by a trio of service aces from Gannaway. DU tried to rally late and closed with seven at 24-17 but a kill from Burton capped the set 25-17 and evened the match at 1-1.
 
Set three began with a pitched back and forth exchange of points until Shelby Ply (Rolla, MO/Rolla) kicked off a 5-0 run to put the Miners ahead in the set for good. The Panthers looked to get back into contention and closed to within three at 12-9, but another big Miner run saw them once again race out to an 11-point edge at 22-11 led by the big three of Burton, Gannaway and Reed, going on to take the set 25-14 and take the lead in the match 2-1.
 
Gannaway scored the first point of the fourth set for S&T before Drury came scored the next three to take their first lead since set one. The next five points went the way of the Miners as they retook the lead but the Panthers found ways to stay close and keep within striking distance, jumping back ahead 19-18 before much like set one, things settled back into a tense back-and-forth exchange of pints until Drury scored three straight to lead 23-21. S&T battled back and this time it was the home team that forced the set to extra points, scoring four of the last five capped by a block by Burton and Merjil to claim the set 28-26 and the match 3-1.
 
 
Gannaway once again posted a double-double, finishing the night with 17 kills and 14 digs to go along with six service aces. Reed also carded a double-double, finishing with 12 kills and a team-high 15 digs. Burton was the third Miner to finish in double-figure kills, posting 10 for the night to go with four digs. Merjil dished out 47 assists and carded a double-double of her own in addition to 13 digs. Burton, Reed and O'Boyle led the defensive effort up front, as S&T logged 14 total blocks in the match. The Panthers retook the lead, and the two sides went back and forth with both teams having the opportunity for set point until the Panthers tied the match at 25 to force extra points and winning 27-25 to begin the night.
 
Up next for the Miners, they play host to Southwest Baptist Friday night at Gibson Arena, with first serve scheduled for 6 P.M.