QUINCY, Ill. – Missouri S&T women's volleyball closed its 2026 campaign on a three-match winning streak, defeating the Quincy Hawks 3-1 to wrap up the season.
The Hawks took an early lead in the opening set, going ahead 8-5. Chelsea Plunkett (Chesterfield, MO/Marquette) recorded an ace during a 3-0 run by the Miners to cut the deficit to one, but Quincy responded with six unanswered points to build a seven-point advantage. The Hawks maintained that lead the rest of the way to claim the first set 25-18.
A pair of kills by Grae Hunter (Oconomowoc, WI/Oconomowoc) and an ace by Madison Smith (Boonville, MO/Boonville) helped the Miners take a 5-2 lead in the second set. The Hawks evened the score at 5-5, beginning a stretch that featured six ties over the ensuing points. Selin Ozdemir (Ankara, Turkey/Bilim) contributed two blocks and an ace during an 8-1 run that gave the Miners a 16-10 advantage. Three consecutive kills by the Hawks cut the deficit to two late in the set, but Ozdemir sparked the Miners' response with a block and a kill to help S&T secure the second set 25-21.
Quincy built a six-point lead in the third set, going ahead 10-4 before kills from Hunter and Ozdemir trimmed the deficit to two. The Hawks extended their advantage to four at 16-12, but the Miners responded with a decisive 15-3 run to close out the set. Smith accounted for three aces during the run, while Hunter added two more to help S&T claim the third set 25-18.
Smith continued her success at the service line in the fourth set, recording an early ace to help S&T take a 5-3 lead. Kate Zipprich (Hardin, IL/Calhoun) added a pair of kills during the ensuing points, contributing to a 6-1 run that extended the Miners' advantage. Smith helped fend off a Quincy rally with a block and a kill to make it 16-10. However, the Hawks continued to chip away at the deficit and eventually took a 20-19 lead. Ozdemir and Smith helped seal the match in the closing points, combining for a block and three kills as the Miners closed on a 6-3 run to win the fourth set 25-23.
Mining the Numbers
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The Miners recorded 12 service aces, their second-highest total of the season and the second-most in a four-set Great Lakes Valley Conference match in program history.
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Seniors Smith and Ozdemir closed out their collegiate careers with personal bests. Smith recorded five service aces, while Ozdemir finished with five blocks. Smith's five aces tied for the second-most by a Miner in a match this season, trailing only Miller's six-ace performance against Roosevelt.
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Miller and Brady both surpassed 500 assists for the season, recording 23 and 18 assists, respectively, in the match.
Season Wrap-Up
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The Miners finished the season 15-12, their best record since 2023.
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S&T recorded 422 block assists this season, setting a new program record with an average of 4.22 block assists per set.
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Smith recorded 125 blocks during the 2026 campaign, the seventh-most in a single season in program history. She concludes her career with 240 blocks as a Miner, also ranking seventh all-time. Zipprich also ranks among the program's top 10 in career blocks with 219, placing ninth after her sophomore season.
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Weiler finished the season with 519 digs, the seventh-highest single-season total in program history.
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