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 had 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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