HAMMOND, Ind. – Missouri S&T women's volleyball competed in their first two matches of the Midwest Region Crossover today, defeated Kentucky Wesleyan in four sets before sweeping Purdue Northwest.
Miners 3, Kentucky Wesleyan 1
Kills from
Danielle Wilke (Palmer Lake, CO/Palmer Ridge),
Kate Zipprich (Hardin, IL/Calhoun) and
Addie Schoenberger (Menomonee Falls, WI/Sussex Hamilton) helped S&T establish an early lead in the opening set, highlighted by a 4-0 run. The Miners extended their advantage to 15-9 with a 6-2 stretch featuring two kills and a block by Wilke. S&T maintained control the rest of the way, closing the set on a 7-2 run to win 25-16.
After trading scoring runs early in the second set, the Miners used a five-point run to take a 13-8 lead. Kentucky Wesleyan responded with a 7-2 stretch to even the score at 15-15 before moving ahead 20-18 late. Kills from Schoenberger and
Elly Decker (Manhattan, IL/Lincoln-Way West) helped S&T stay within reach, but the Panthers evened the match with a 25-21 win.
S&T answered in the third set with a 6-0 run that put them ahead 9-5. A service ace by
Maggie Miller (Gretna, NE/Gretna) extended the lead, but Kentucky Wesleyan rallied late, trimming the deficit to 19-17 and keeping the score within two at 21-19. The Miners then closed the set with four straight points, including an ace by
Adelyn Weiler (Ste. Genevieve, MO/Valle Catholic) and a double block from Wilke and Zipprich, to win 25-19.
Kentucky Wesleyan held a 7-5 lead early in the fourth set before S&T took control with an 11-0 run. Back-to-back aces by Decker sparked the surge, while Schoenberger, Zipprich and
Selin Ozdemir (Ankara, Turkey/Bilim) combined for six consecutive kills to put the Miners ahead 16-7. S&T added another 5-1 run to build a comfortable cushion and close out the match with a 25-14 win.
Miners 3, Purdue Northwest 0
S&T pulled away from Purdue Northwest in the opening set after a tightly contested start. With neither team leading by more than two points early, three kills by Decker helped fuel a 6-0 run that gave the Miners a 12-8 advantage. S&T then erupted for 10 consecutive points, with Decker recording four kills and Schoenberger adding four blocks during the stretch. The Pride attempted a late rally, but a kill by Schoenberger sealed a 25-15 win for the Miners.
The Miners carried that momentum into the second set, opening with four straight points. Purdue Northwest rallied to tie the score at 7-7 behind three blocks, but S&T quickly regained control by winning seven of the next eight points. Service aces from Miller and
Chelsea Plunkett (Chesterfield, MO/Marquette) helped the Miners build an 18-11 lead before
Madison Smith (Boonville, MO/Boonville) finished the set with a kill for a 25-17 victory.
Purdue Northwest mounted its strongest challenge in the third set. Aces from Plunkett and Weiler helped S&T take an early 6-2 lead, but the Pride responded with a 5-1 run to tie the score at 7-7. Purdue Northwest later moved ahead 13-12 and kept the set close into the final points. With the score tied at 19-19, S&T pulled away to secure the sweep, winning six of the final nine points. Decker delivered the decisive point with a solo block, capping the Miners' second victory of the day.
Mining the Numbers
- S&T hitters thrived today, with the team hitting .304 against Purdue Northwest and .324 vs Kentucky Wesleyan. Schoenberger led the way with a .500 hitting percentage between the two matches, contributing 19 kills.
- Miller tied her career record for aces for the second consecutive match, picking up three of the Miners' nine aces in their morning match against the Panthers.
- The Miners totaled 23 blocks between the two matches, an average of 3.28 per set, while Smith and Zipprich each totaled 10 blocks.
What's Next
The Miners will play their third and final match of the crossover tomorrow at 9 a.m. against Roosevelt.
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