CHESTERFIELD, MO -- The Miners completed their first reverse sweep in program history, bouncing back after dropping the first two sets to win the next 25-18, 25-22, and 15-5. Missouri S&T now advances to the Intercollegiate Volleyball Association championship semifinals where they will face #2 Maryville at 1pm on Saturday.
Set 1
Nate Meyer (Arlington Heights, Ill./Hersey) and
Aaron Sallade (Palatine, Ill./William Fremd) contributed kills early in the match to help the Miners go up 4-1. S&T would lead by as many as four early before a 3-0 run by the Pioneers tied the set at 8-8. A double block by
Caleb Rohlwing (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) and Sallade helped the Miners go up by two, but Tusculum responded with a 5-0 run to take their first lead of the set at 14-11. S&T would not allow the Pioneers to pull away late in the set, but were unable to close the gap, dropping the set 25-19.
Set 2
Set #2 was a dogfight early, with neither team leading by more than 1 for the first 11 points. A 5-1 Tusculum run would put the Pioneers up 10-6, a lead that they would extend to 7 at 16-9. The Miners looked to start a comeback by taking three of the next four points, before a 5-0 run by TU put the Pioneers up by 10, giving them the necessary cushion to end the set in a 25-14 victory.
Set 3
With the season on the line, the Miners looked rejuvenated at the start of the third set. The Miners took a small lead early but did not build a significant lead until 6-2 run featuring kills by
Tyler Johnwick (Lombard, IL/Glenbard East) and Sallade put S&T ahead 19-13. The Pioneers took a timeout to reset but the Miners did not ease up at the end of the set, taking it 25-18 to force set four.
Set 4
Zachary Carff (O'Fallon, Mo./St. Dominic) picked up a couple of kills early in the set to help the Miners keep even with the Pioneers, as the score remained tied for majority of the set. Another Sallade kill helped the Miners go up 19-17 late, giving them a lead that they would not relinquish, with Sallade picking up the final kill in the set at 25-22 to send the game to a decisive fifth set.
Set 5
Three service aces by
Grant Edmonds (Huntington Beach, CA/Edison) and a kill by Meyer aided in the Miners taking a 5-0 lead early and force a timeout by Tusculum as the Pioneers attemped to regroup. They only took four of the next nine points though, leading to a score of 10-4 with the Miners still leading. Kills by Johnwick, Edmonds, and Sallade, along with a double block the former two, fueled a 4-0 S&T run to put the Miners one point away from the win. Two points later, a kill by Sallade would get the Miners that point, ending the set at 15-5 and giving the Miners their first reverse sweep victory in program history.
Notable Performances
- Sallade Leads S&T Attack with New Career High: Sallade led the Miners in kills, recording 19 for a new personal-best. His attacking percentage of .444 is tied for his best in a full match this season.
- Clutch Aces from #21: Edmonds set a new personal record for service aces in a match with three, all of which came in the opening points of the decisive fifth set.
What's Next
The Miners play Maryville at 1pm tomorrow in the IVA semifinals. A win in that match will advance them to the championship at 5pm where the winner of #1 Lincoln Memorial and #5 Rockhurst will be waiting.
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