JOPLIN, Mo. – Missouri S&T Women's Volleyball improved to 2-0 at the MSSU Tournament and on the season Friday, defeating host Missouri Southern in an epic five-set battle.
Missouri Southern claimed five of the first seven points of the opening set, with Kate Zipprich (Hardin, IL/Calhoun) accounting for both of S&T's points with a pair of kills. The Miners surged ahead shortly after with a 6-0 run, highlighted by three kills from Selin Ozdemir (Ankara, Turkey/Bilim) and two aces from Kaitlyn Brady (Springdale, AR/Rogers), to take a 12-8 lead. After S&T built a five-point advantage, the Lions answered with a 5-0 run to tie the set at 15-15. Ozdemir, Elly Decker (Manhattan, IL/Lincoln-Way West), and Addie Schoenberger (Menomonee Falls, WI/Sussex Hamilton) combined for six kills over the next several points, and an ace from Ozdemir put the Miners ahead 23-20. Missouri Southern responded with a pair of clutch double blocks in the closing points, however, allowing the Lions to take the set 27-25.
The Miners built an early advantage in the second set, with three kills from Ozdemir and an ace by Maggie Miller (Gretna, NE/Gretna) helping S&T take a 12-9 lead. Missouri Southern's Kaelyn Kendrick then sparked a 7-2 run that put the Lions ahead 16-14. S&T quickly regained the lead with a 3-0 run featuring an ace from Decker and a kill by Zipprich. After the Lions moved back in front at 19-18, the Miners responded with five straight points, capped by a pair of blocks involving Danielle Wilke (Palmer Lake, CO/Palmer Ridge) and Madison Smith (Boonville, MO/Boonville). Missouri Southern mounted another late push, but a kill from Decker secured the set for S&T, 25-23.
Aces from Miller, Decker, and Zipprich helped the Miners establish a three-point lead early in the third set. Kills by Zipprich, Ozdemir, and Wilke kept S&T in front and eventually gave the Miners a 24-20 advantage. The Lions refused to go quietly, however, as Addysen Alvis and Ella Breazeale combined for five kills during a 6-0 run that allowed Missouri Southern to rally for a 26-24 set victory.
The Miners faced their largest deficit of the match early in the fourth set, trailing 11-7. A kill by Wilke sent Chelsea Plunkett (Chesterfield, MO/Marquette) to the service line, and the freshman helped spark a five-point run that put S&T back in front 12-11. The Miners extended their advantage to 15-12 moments later with three consecutive kills. Missouri Southern eventually reclaimed the lead at 19-18 after a pair of double blocks, but S&T remained composed, pulling even at 21-21 before closing the set on a 5-0 run to force a decisive fifth set.
Kills from Wilke, Decker, and Zipprich kept the Miners level with the Lions early in the final frame before a kill by Miller helped S&T take a 6-3 lead. Two more kills from Zipprich helped the Miners stretch their advantage to 10-5. Missouri Southern responded with a 6-2 run to pull within one at 12-11, but S&T held off the comeback attempt. Zipprich delivered her fourth kill of the set to help seal a 15-12 victory and give the Miners the five-set win.
The victory marks Missouri S&T's first five-set win since 2024, when the Miners defeated No. 14 Missouri-St. Louis.
S&T hit .259 as a team, including a match-best .387 mark in the third set. Zipprich and Ozdemir posted the Miners' top hitting percentages, connecting at .429 and .325, respectively.
Adelyn Weiler (Ste. Genevieve, MO/Valle Catholic) recorded a career-high 39 digs, the most by a Miner since Corrine Stulce set the school record with 45 in 2018.
The Miners also held an advantage from the service line, recording nine aces to Missouri Southern's five. Brady led S&T with three aces, accounting for one-third of the team's total.
What's Next
S&T will play Southeastern Oklahoma State tomorrow at 9 a.m. followed by Northwestern Oklahoma State at 1 p.m.
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