ROLLA, Mo. – Miners volleyball defeated Quincy in four sets today by a score of 25-15, 19-25, 25-19, 25-16. This was a revenge match for the Miners after losing to the Hawks back in January.
Set 1:
S&T dominated the start of the match, taking seven of the first eight points en route to a 7-1 lead. The Miners would add an extra point to their lead at 11-4, but the Hawks would find a glimmer of hope when they cut their deficit to five. The Miners would quickly end that hope with a five point run fueled by three kills from Meyer as they went ahead by ten. The Miners would hold that lead through the end of the set, winning it 25-15.
Set 2:
The second set began like the inverse of the first, with Quincy five of the first six points and eventually pulling ahead 9-3. Down 13-7, a pair of kills from Meyer cut the Hawk's lead to four. The Hawks would score two in a row a short time later though, furthering their lead to six. Neither team went on a run greater than two for the remainder of the set, with Quincy holding that six point lead for a 25-19 victory in set two.
Set 3:
With six lead changes and ten tied scores, the third set would prove to be the closest of the match. Neither team led by more than one for the first twenty-one points, with the Miners taking the first substantial lead of the set at 13-10 after a four point run that featured two aces from
Caleb Rohlwing (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) and kills from Meyer and Sallade. A short while later, the Miners would go on a 4-1 run to pull ahead by five. The Hawks tried to fight their way back into the set when they cut the Miners lead to three at 21-18, but S&T responded by taking four of the last five points to win the set 25-19.
Set 4:
In what would prove to be the final set, neither team grabbed an advantage early, with the score returning to a tie nine times up to 13-13. The Miners were the first to take a big lead, just as they were in the previous set, but this time they took seven straight points. The Miners were up 22-14 at this point and kills from Meyer and
Tyler Johnwick (Lombard, IL/Glenbard East), paired with a double block by Rohlwing and
Grant Edmonds (Shawnee, KS/Edison), gave them the three points they needed to seal the deal.
Meyer led the Miners' offensive attack today, recording 20 kills on 32 attempts. Rohlwing stood out as well today, not for his blocking as he usually does but for his consistency instead, as he recorded 8 kills and 1 error on 11 attempts for a .636 attacking percentage. Johnwick had a career day, setting a new personal high for blocks in a match with five.
The Miners will play their final home game of the season on March 22nd against Thomas More.
