ROLLA, MO -- The Men's Volleyball team took down the Thomas More Saints on Monday evening, playing just three sets as they gradually improved their margin of victory through the sets, ending the match 25-23, 25-21, 25-17.
Set 1
S&T and Thomas More traded scoring runs to open the match, with the Miners taking the first four before the Saints claimed five in a row. An ace by
Nate Meyer (Arlington Heights, Ill./Hersey) and a kill from
Aaron Sallade (Palatine, Ill./William Fremd) would help put the Miners ahead again at 10-8 though. A trio of Saints kills would help put the visitors on top at 15-13 for brief time before the Miners went on a 3-0 run to retake the lead. S&T would not relinquish the lead again for the remainder of the set, holding on for a 25-23 set one victory.
Set 2
The teams stayed neck-and-neck for the first 20 points of set #2, taking the score to 10-10 where the Miners would go on a 5-0 run. The Saints would cut into the Miners' lead with a three-point run though, making it 17-14. The Saints' attack errors doomed them though, as they committed four in the final fifteen points of the set, allowing Meyer to end the set with a kill to put the host team up two sets to none.
Set 3
The two teams combined for five runs of three or more points in the opening points of the set, leading to the Miners pulling ahead 13-10. The Saints worked to cut into the three-point deficit, but the Miners would not allow the Saints to record back-to-back points for the remainder of the match. A pair of kills by
Tyler Johnwick (Lombard, IL/Glenbard East) helped end the set and the match in S&T's favor, giving the Miners their 8th win of the season.
Notable Performances
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Johnwick: Led the team in attacking percentage with .556, recording 11 kills and only 1 error on 18 attempts.
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Season-High Kills: The Miners recorded 42 kills in the match, a season-high for kills in a three-set match.
What's Next
The Miners face the Quincy Hawks tomorrow at home for Greenout night.
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