ROLLA, Mo. – The Miners got their eighth straight set victory of the season tonight over visiting Thomas More University. They took the sets 25-17, 25-19, 25-21.
Set 1:
The Miners fell behind 1-3 after Thomas More successful challenged a kill, but would proceed to take five of the next six points largely due to two aces for
Nate Meyer (Arlington Heights, Ill./Hersey) and two kills for
Tyler Johnwick (Lombard, IL/Glenbard East). The Saints would draw even again at 7-7 after a pair of kills and keep the score locked up until 9-9, when S&T scored three in a row to retake a significant lead. The Miners would extend their lead to one, staying ahead by four until a four point run gave them a 21-14 lead. The teams traded service errors in four of the final seven points, with the Miners taking the set 25-17.
Set 2:
The Miners were the ones to take a 3-1 lead in this time, but the Saints responded by tying the game and eventually pulling ahead 7-5. The lead would be short-lived though, with the Miners scoring three in a row to take a one point lead. The score would be tied six times in the ensuing points, until the Miners took four points in a row to go up 19-15. The teams traded points again up until 21-18, at which point the Miners scored four of the final five points to take set two 25-19.
Set 3:
The Miners and Saints exchanged three-point runs to open the third, with the Miners taking a two point at 6-4 after taking three of the next four points. They matched each other point for point until kills from
Grant Edmonds (Shawnee, KS/Edison) and
Aaron Sallade (Palatine, Ill./William Fremd) pushed the Miners' lead to three. The Saints threatened to tie the set after taking three of the next four points, but a service error and a kill from Meyer prevented that for the time being. Up 13-12, the Miners went on a three point run that featured kills by Johnwick and Sallade. Two points later, up 17-13, the Miners gave up four in a row to allow the Saints to tie the set at 17-17. Coach Thompson called a timeout to regroup and the Miners took the first two points out of the time out. The Saints would take three of the next four though, making it a tie game at 20-20. Meyer would record two kills and a solo block in the ensuing points, helping lead the Miners to take five of the last six points and win the set 25-21.
Meyer had another stellar performance tonight, recording 13 kills, 2 aces, 2 blocks, and a .360 attacking percentage to lead the Miners' offensive attack in their tenth win of the season. Rohlwing continued to add to blocking total, which is already a program record, with a solo block and two block assists. Sallade had another solid outing as well, getting 10 kills and two block assists.
The Miners will conclude their season with two matches next week on Monday and Tuesday. They are traveling to Harrogate, Tennessee to face the Lincoln Memorial University Railsplitters.
