Preview of MSSU Homecoming football against Central Missouri

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern football team will look to win its third game in a row when the Lions play host to Central Missouri this Saturday for Homecoming 2014. Kickoff from Fred G. Hughes Stadium inside the Robert W. Plaster Sports Complex is slated for 2 pm.

Game Information

Date: Saturday, October 4, 2014
Kick-Off: 2:00 p.m., CT
Location: Joplin, Mo.
Site: Fred G. Hughes Stadium (7,000)
Series Record: Central leads 18-15-1
Coaches: Daryl Daye (15-10 at MSSU, 30-48 overall) | Jim Svoboda (33-17 at UCM, 85-36 overall)

Media Coverage

MSSU Radio: FM 99.7 Real American Country - Mike McClure, Play-by-Play, Aaron Lewis, Color
Video Webcast: http://www.mssulions.com/links/hlqdgb
Live Stats: http://www.mssulions.com/sports/fball/2014-15/boxscores/20141004_zsti.xml
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/missourisouthernlions
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @mosofootball

The Coaches: Daryl Daye is in his third season as the head coach at Missouri Southern. In his second season at the helm of the Lions, Daye lifted the program to a level unseen in the past 20 years. The Lions finished the season 7-3 overall and were 5-3 in the MIAA. Southern also broke a 20-year drought with a 35-21 win at No. 9 Pittsburg State in the season-finale. The Lions won for the first time in Pittsburg since 1983 and for the first time against the Gorillas since 1993. Nine Lions were named All-MIAA, and 11 players were named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. The Lions' Chris Barnwell and Gatlin Ridgway were named All-Region with Barnwell earning All-American honors. Giresse Forchu was an Academic All-District selection and the Lions ended the 2013 campaign as Division II's leader in time of possession, holding onto the ball for an average of 35:14 each game. Southern also ranked second nationally in both rushing yardage and fewest passes intercepted. In all, the Lions ranked in the top ten nationally in nine different categories, while ranking 14th in turnovers lost.

Jim Svoboda is in his fifth year at the helm of the Mules. He has led the Mules to a 33-17 overall mark, including 27-14 in MIAA play. He has led the Mules to two postseason appearances and UCM had the second most wins in a two-year period during his first two seasons in Warrensburg.

Last season, he led the Mules to a 6-4 overall mark for the second straight season, including a four-game winning streak to end the year. It was the first four-game winning streak to close out a season since 1988 and secured the program's seventh straight winning season.

Svoboda has an overall career record of 85-36 in 12 seasons as a collegiate coach.

The Series: Central Missouri holds the all-time series lead against the Lions at 18-15-1. The Lions have an 9-7-1 record at Hughes Stadium against the Mules, while the Lions are just 6-11 in Warrensburg. Central has won 14 out of the last 18 meetings. Southern defeated the Mules in 2006 and last season, both games at home. From 1983-1996, the Lions were 7-2 against the Mules.

A Victory vs. Central Would: be the second time in a row for the Lions as Southern defeated the Mules 21-14 last year inside Hughes Stadium. It would, however, be just the third win in the last nine games against the Mules.

NFL Representation: The Lions will be one of just two MIAA teams (Washburn) to have two different starters on NFL rosters to start the season. Brandon Williams is a starter on the defensive line for the Baltimore Ravens, while Allen Barbre started on the offensive line for the Philadelphia Eagles, but suffered an ankle injury in game one and will be out for the 2014 season.

2013 NCAA Stats Leaders: The Missouri Southern football team led Division II in 2013 in time of possession, averaging 35:14 of possession each game. The team also ranked second nationally in both rushing yardage and fewest passes intercepted. In all, the Lions ranked in the top ten nationally in nine different categories, while ranking 14th in turnovers lost.

2014 NCAA Stat Leaders: After two games, the Lions currently rank No. 1 in Division II in passing yards per completion and redzone offense. The Lions also rank 13th in sacks allowed, 15th in rushing offense and 18th in kickoff return defense. Southern ranks 28th in fourth-down conversion percentage, while ranking 29th in punting 37th in time of possession, 43rd in turnovers lost and 44th in passes intercepted.

MIAA Stats Leaders: The Lions currently lead the MIAA in redzone offense, passing yards per completion, sacks allowed, blocked punts allowed and rushing. Southern ranks third in fourth down conversion percentage, kickoff return defense, blocked kicks allowed.

National Rankings: Ty'Quan Hayes ranks 45th in combined kick returns, while Deon Price ranks 15th in interceptions and 41st in fumbles recovered. Martice Buckley also ranks 41st in fumbles recovered, while Kyle Jaski ranks 19th in punting. Giresse Forchu ranks 28th in rushing touchdowns, while Gaige Washington ranks 45th in solo tackles.

Rushing It: The Lions are ranked 15th nationally in rushing and second in the MIAA after four games. The Lions are averaging 259.8 yards rushing and have 14 rushing touchdowns going into week four.

Punt it Long: Newcomer Kyle Jaski (Lincoln Univ. of PA) was a Division II All-American last year and he has picked up right where he left off. He currently ranks second in the MIAA and 19th nationally. He is averaging 41.8 yards per punt, with a long of 59, four inside the 20 and three over 50 yards.

Defensive Steppin Up: The Lions' defense had four interceptions, six tackles for a loss, 11 pass break ups and six quarterback hurries in the game against Washburn.

Sack Em Up: Senior defensive lineman Ryon Phillips had two sacks against No. 1 ranked Northwest Missouri. The two gives him 14 on his career, ranking him fifth all-time in MSSU history.

Team Captains: The Missouri Southern coaching staff and team have voted in four captains for the 2014 season. Seniors Austin Wolfe, Ryon Phillips and Dalvin Taylor, along with junior Jay McDowell will serve as team captains this year.

TOUGH LEAGUE/REGION: The MIAA has two teams in the coaches top 25 this week. Northwest Missouri is No. 1, followed by Pittsburg State at No. 19. The Super Region Three, which the Lions are a part of, has eight teams in the top 25. There are 16 teams total that are either ranked or receiving votes in the poll from the region.

WEATHER REPORT: The weather report for the Joplin area on Saturday calls for a high of 69 degrees with partly cloudy conditions. There is a zero percent chance of rain.

Next Up: Missouri Southern will head back on the road and will travel to Edmond, Okla. for a meeting with Central Oklahoma. Kickoff from Wantland Stadium is slated for 2:07 pm as this game will be the MIAA's TV Game of the Week.

Dates set for MSSU softball academies, winter camps

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Missouri Southern Softball Head Coach Bill Gray has announced the dates and times for this year's softball academies and winter camps.

The Elementary & Secondary Academy will be held on Sunday's starting December 7th and going through the 28th. This Academy is for first thru 12th grades and there will be for sessions a day. Each session is $20 and they are limited to 12 participants, the registration deadline is November 28th.

The two winter camps, hitting and pitching, will be held on January 17th, 2015. The hitting camp is slated for 9am to noon with the pitching camp scheduled from 1pm to 4pm.

For more information contact Head Coach Bill Gray at 417.625.9873 or visit

MSSU golf finishes seventh at Texoma

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern golf team finished the Texoma Championships tied for seventh place.

The Lions complied a three round total of 910 (307-298-305) and finished six strokes behind East Central for sixth place.

Leading the way for Southern was freshman Chas Goines. In Goines debut for the Green & Gold, he finished tied for 14th with a three round total 222 (74-70-78). Senior Ryan Buerk finished tied for 18th with a 223 and had the second lowest round of the tournament with a second round 69. Junior Ethan Hutcheson finished in 35th with a 231 and sophomore Taylor Lansford carded 240 for 50th.

Freshman Spencer Smythe withdrew yesterday from round two due to illness but was able to come back to card a 79 in round three for the team.

Senior Skyler Arbuckle, who competed as an individual, finished tied for 58th with a two day total of 251.

The Lions will take a week off before the travel to St. Joseph, Missouri to take part in the Central Region Invite hosted by Missouri Western.

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MSSU Drumline to perform at Royals playoff game tonight

(From Southern News Service)

The drumline at Missouri Southern State University has been invited to perform during Tuesday’s playoff game at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.

The game versus the Oakland A’s marks the Royals’ first postseason game in nearly 30 years.

“We’ll perform in the tailgate lots and then they’ll have us down on the field to perform during the pre-game programs,” said Brian Fronzaglia, professor of percussion and interim head of the music department. “We’ll also have in-game and post-game performances.”

During the Royals’ 2011 season, the group served as the team’s drumline throughout the regular season and during the All-Star Game. The invitation to perform during Tuesday’s game came because of Southern’s connection with the team, he said.

“It’s a cool opportunity because the Royals haven’t been to the postseason in 30 years and we get to be a part of it,” said Fronzaglia.

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Southern golf in seventh after first day at Texoma

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern golf team is sitting in seventh place following the first two rounds of the Texoma Championship at the Chickasaw Pointe Golf Club.

The Lions shot a team total of 605 (307-298) for the day and are seven strokes behind host Southeastern Oklahoma for fifth place. The second round 298 is the second lowest team round of the fall season for Southern.

Freshman Chas Goins led Southern on day one as he carded a two round total of 144 (74-70), he is currently tied for second place. Senior Ryan Buerk made the biggest move of anyone in the field in the second round as he improved 26 places to tie for ninth place with a total of 146 (77-69). Buerk's 69 tied the leader from Southwestern Oklahoma, Manuel Arzuaga, for the lowest round of the day.

Sophomore Taylor Lansford carded a 157 and junior Ethan Hutcheson is three strokes behind him with a 160 day one total. Freshman Spencer Smythe shot a first round 82 before withdrawing in the second due to illness. Senior Skyler Arbuckle, comepeting as an individual, carded a 86 and 81 to round out the Lions scores.

Arbuckle will tee off the final round at 8:22 am and the Southern team will start their final round at 9:15 am.

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MSSU golf to play in Texoma Championship

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern golf team will head to Oklahoma to take part in the Texoma Championship this Monday and Tuesday.

The Texoma Championship will be held at the Chickasaw Pointe Golf Club a 7,085 yard par 72 course in Kingston. Southeastern Oklahoma State University will serve as the host for this tournament.

The five man squad representing the Lions are senior Ryan Buerk, junior Ethan Hutcheson, sophomore Taylor Lansford, freshmen Spencer Smythe and Chas Goines. Senior Skyler Arbuckle will compete this week as an individual.

The Lions will be the lone team from the MIAA in the Texoma Championships.

Missouri Southern football downs Washburn 42-21

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern football team used a combination of big plays and stellar defense and the Lions defeated visiting Washburn 42-21 tonight at Fred G. Hughes Stadium inside the Robert W. Plaster Sports Complex.

The Lions (2-2, 2-2 MIAA) had five rushing touchdowns on the night and one passing score, but the defense had four interceptions, six tackles for a loss 11 pass break ups and six quarterback hurries in the game.

Washburn (1-3, 1-3 MIAA) actually out gained the Lions by 128 yards, but costly turnovers did the Ichabods in.

Washburn won the toss and elected to receive and the Ichabods didn't waste any time getting on the board, scoring on the opening drive and a two-yard run from Vershon Moore.

The Lions answered right back as Michael Nelson hit paydirt for 29 yards, capping off a 10 play, 80-yard drive. The first quarter would end tied at seven.

Southern's defense held strong on the Ichabod's next possession, holding Washburn to a three and out after driving to the MSSU 11-yard line. A field goal attempt from 20 would be no good and the Lions took over on their own 20. Scott Lathrop wasted no time and hit Chris Jeffries for an 80-yard pass and score on the very next play to put the Lions up 14-7. Neither team scored for the rest of the half.

The Lions had the ball to start the second half and it took just 1:33 to result in another score as a big 38-yard run from Shannon Saunders was capped off by a four-yard score from Saunders to put Southern up 21-7.

Washburn answered back with a touchdown to make the score 21-14, but the Lions scored on their next possession to go up 28-14. A 24-yard pass from Lathrop to Anthony Cannon and a 27-yard run from Lathrop on the drive was capped by a five-yard dive into the endzone by Giresse Forchu.

The Lions added another score before the end of the third, this time on an eight-yard Lathrop run to make the score 35-14 with 26 seconds left in the third.

The defensive backfield stepped up on the next Washburn possession and Kevin Gill picked off an Ichabod pass to run it back 18 yards to the Washburn 12-yard line. An 11-yard run from Nelson put the Lions on the one as time expired in the third. Forchu ran the ball in on the first play of the fourth to put Southern up 42-14.

A touchdown from the Ichabods on their next possession provided the final tally.

The Lions picked up a big special teams play as after having to punt, Martice Buckley picked up a fumble by the Ichabods giving the Lions the ball on the Washburn 25. The Lions couldn't score on the drive, but Southern had interceptions in the endzone on the Ichabods' next final two possessions (Price and Buckley) to seal the win.

Lathrop rushed for 68 yards and a score, while going 5-5 with 119 yards and a touchdown through the air. Jeffries caught one pass for 80 yards and a score, while rushing for 16 yards. Nelson had 70 yards on the ground and a score, while Saunders had 68 yards and a touchdown. Forchu scored twice on 19 yards. Cannon caught three passes for 37 yards, while Jocqui Davis caught a pass.

Defensively, Gaige Washington had 16 tackles, ten solo and a pass breakup. Kevin Gill had 11 tackles, an interception and 1.5 tackles for a loss. Johnquavious McBride had 10 stops, a pass break up and a hurry, whileLaynce Sanders had the lone sack and a forced fumble. Buckley had a forced fumble, a recovery, an interception and a breakup, while Price had two picks and five breakups.

The Lions will be back in action next weekend, playing host to Central Missouri for Homecoming. Kickoff is slated for 2 pm from Fred G. Hughes Stadium.

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Missouri Southern soccer loses to Fort Hays State

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern Lions (3-4-1, 1-3 MIAA) dropped a heartbreaker to visiting Fort Hays State (4-3-1, 2-1-1 MIAA), 1-0, Saturday afternoon at Hal Bodon Field.

The Tigers struck first in the 50th minute as Cenayda Guzman put a header by Hammons off of a corner kick. Southern would have three point blank chances to tie the game in the second half as FHSU goalie, Kristen Thompson, would come up with the saves.

Beck would take a shot in the 59th minute following a yellow card on Fort Hays and then again in the 60th minute. Junior Michaela Altvater had the Lions final chance in the 89th minute.

The Lions' offense took 12 shots on the day, led by freshmen Hannah Bomar and Taylor Beck with four each.

Senior goalkeeper Beth Hammons played all 90 minutes in the net allowing just the one goal and recorded eight saves while facing 17 FHSU shots.

Southern will be back in action Thursday October 2nd as they host Missouri Western at 7pm at Hal Bodon Field.

MSSU volleyball falls in four to Northwest Missouri

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern volleyball team won the first set in convincing fashion, but visiting Northwest Missouri came-from-behind to defeat the Lions three sets to one at Young Gymnasium. Individual set scores were 25-16, 24-26, 13-25, 15-25.

The Lions (4-10, 1-5 MIAA) and Bearcats (6-8, 3-3 MIAA) traded points early on in the first set, but Southern took a 12-10 lead on an ace from Katie Politte midway through the set. The Lions led 19-13, before a point from Northwest, but Southern scored six of the final eight points to take the set.

Both teams traded points in the second set, but Northwest took a 20-17 lead after a kill from Shelby Duren. The Lions got to within one at 22-21, forcing a Northwest timeout and a kill from Callie Whetstone gave Southern a 24-23 lead. Northwest, however, scored three-straight points to take the set.

Sets three and four were all Northwest with only five ties and three lead changes in the last two frames. In the match, there were 22 tied scores and eight lead changes.

Krishna Merriman led the Lions with 15 kills, while Whestone had 12 kills and 11 blocks. Politte had 11 kills, while Abby Finder dished out 36 assists. Katie Wiele had a match-high 12 digs.

The Lions had 12.5 blocks as a team in the match. Duren led Northwest with 15 kills.

Southern will be back in action on October 3, traveling to Emporia State. First serve is slated for 7 pm.

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MSSU soccer defeats Nebraska-Kearney

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern Lions (3-3-1, 1-2-0 MIAA) defeated visiting Nebraska-Kearney (1-4-1, 1-2-0 MIAA) 2-0 Thursday night at Hal Bodon Field.

Southern got on the board in the first half in the 37th minute when freshman Aubrey Lindsey scored her second goal of the season off a shot from the right side that hit the far post and went into the upper 90. Junior Karley Thomas assisted Lindsey for her second assist on the season. The Lions would take that 1-0 lead into the half.

Southern would add a second goal to secure the win in the 78th minute as junior Kayla Gajewski scored her first of the season off assists from freshmen Taylor Beck and Bryar Wiley.

Senior goalkeeper Beth Hammons played all 90 minutes in the net for the Lions as she recorded 11 saves on the night while securing her second shutout of the season.

Southern will be back in action at Hal Bodon Field on Saturday as they host the Fort Hays State Tigers (3-3-1, 1-1-1 MIAA) at noon.

MSSU volleyball falls 3-0 to Missouri Western

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern Volleyball team fell three sets to none to Missouri Western tonight in the Lions' home opener. Individual set scores were 19-25, 20-25 and 17-25. 

The Lions (4-9, 1-4 MIAA) were led offensively by Callie Whetstone as the junior had 11 kills and hit .625 in the match. Abby Finder had 27 assists and five digs, while Katie Politte added nine kills and six digs. Krishna Merriman had seven kills and six digs, while Katie Wiele and Jacy Ermel had seven and six kills, respectively. 

Western (10-3, 4-1 MIAA) had three with double-figure digs, led by 14 from Erica Rottinghaus. The Griffons hit .350 as a team. 

There were six tied scores in the set with three coming in the first set, while there were five lead changes. 

The Lions will be back in action tomorrow as they play host to Northwest Missouri at 2 pm from Young Gymnasium. 

 

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Three selected for MSSU Athletics Hall of Fame

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern athletics department will induct the 2014 Athletics Hall of Fame Class as four individuals will be enshrined as part of Hall of Fame Weekend this Friday and Saturday. The list includes four former student-athletes from the sports of football, baseball and men's and women’s track and field.

Tim Doss (Baseball – 1972-74), Brad Cornelsen (Football – 1995-98), Brian Lyons (Men’s Track and Field/Cross Country – 1999-2004), and Margaret (Miklovic) Lyons (Women’s Track and Field/Cross Country – 1998-2002) will all be enshrined into the 2014 class of the Hall of Fame. The group also features the first married couple to be inducted in the same class (Margaret and Brian Lyons).

The newest class will be present at a social at 7 pm tonight and will be inducted at a lunch at noon on Saturday, Sept. 27. The group will be introduced as new Hall of Fame members at halftime of the Lions’ football game vs. Washburn on Saturday.

Below are short biographies on each of the four Lions to be inducted into the Hall of Fame:

Tim Doss (Baseball – 1972-74) – Doss played for the very first baseball team at Missouri Southern and is one of the best pitchers to put on an MSSU uniform. Doss was a three-year starter and finished his career with a record of 16-3, while putting up a 2.13 career ERA in 23 games. He started 20 games and finished with 13 complete-games and four shutouts. He struck out 65 batters and allowed just 33 earned runs in 139.2 innings pitched.

Doss is the single-season record holder in complete games (9), while holding the career record in both ERA (2.13) and winning percentage (.842). He is fourth in career shutouts (4), sixth in career complete games (13), seventh in wins (16), while ranking tenth in single-season ERA (1.78).

Doss graduated from Missouri Southern in 1974 with a degree in education. He is a collegiate softball umpire in the MIAA, while also umpiring at the high school level and officiating high school basketball. He currently works in purchasing and receiving at Freeman Hospital in Joplin and has two grown children. He and his wife Debbie reside in Joplin.

Brad Cornelsen (Football – 1995-98) – Cornelsen was a three-year starter and four-year letter winner at quarterback for the Lions. He was the first quarterback in NCAA Division II history to pass for 4,000 yards and rush for 2,000 yards in a career.

He was an Academic All-Conference selection in both 1997-98 and was a Harlon Hill Regional Finalist in 1997. He finished his career fourth all-time on the total offense list with 6,671 yards. He had the highest passing efficiency mark in MSSU history in 1996 when he put up a mark of 162.5. He completed 102 passes in 189 attempts for 1,625 yards and ten touchdowns. He also ranks seventh all-time in career rushing yards (second amongst quarterbacks) with 2,273 yards and ranks fourth in career scoring (210). He is fifth in both passing yards (5,334) and completions (261).

Cornelsen started his coaching career at Northeast Oklahoma A&M, and served stints at Northwest Missouri, Oklahoma State, Illinois State, Northeastern State and has served as a quarterbacks coach at the University of Memphis for the past three seasons. This past year, Cornelsen coached freshman Paxton Lynch to become just the second Tiger to throw for over 2,000 yards in his rookie campaign. It was also just the tenth 2,000 yard passing campaign in Memphis program history and Lynch ranked in the top ten in single-season pass attempts, completions and completion percentage.

Cornelsen graduated from Southern in 2000 with a degree in physical education and he and his wife Jaimi were married in 2011.

Brian Lyons (Men’s Track and Field/Cross Country – 1999-2004) – Lyons was a five-year member of the cross country and track and field teams at Missouri Southern. He was a seven-time All-Conference selection in cross country and track and field, helping the Lions to five different team MIAA titles (cross country – 2000-2003, indoor – 2004).

He was named the 2002 MSSU Outstanding Athlete and still holds the Missouri Southern record in the outdoor 5k. He was a three-time MIAA Athlete of the Week, while winning four individual MIAA titles in 2002 alone (cross country, indoor 3k and 5k and outdoor 5k). He was the 2004 MIAA Indoor Track Championships High Point Scorer, while being named the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Regional Indoor Athlete of the Year that season.

Lyons was a two-time cross country All-Region selection and earned two All-American honors.

Lyons graduated from Missouri Southern in 2004 with a degree in environmental health and micro biology. He and his wife, Margaret, have three children, Lillian, Lukas and Lincoln and reside in Glendale, Mo. He is currently the Director of Race Management for GO! St. Louis, where he directs running events, including the GO! St. Louis Marathon and Family Fitness Weekend that hosts over 20,000 runners every April.

Margaret (Miklovic) Lyons (Women’s Track and Field/Cross Country – 1998-2002) – Lyons is one of the most decorated female distance runners in Missouri Southern history. She is one of just two women in Southern history to qualify for the NCAA Championship in each sport in the same season (Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Track), doing so in 2001-02.

A two-time All-American, she placed third in the indoor mile in 2002, while placing fifth in the 3k in the 2002 outdoor championships. She was the MIAA Champion in the 1,500m run, while holding the MSSU school record in the indoor mile, 3k and 1k, as well as the outdoor 1,500m.

She was a three-time MIAA Champion in the mile, 3k and 1,500m, while earning the cross country Lionbacker Award of Excellence in 2001 and the track and field MVP in 2002. She was named the MSSU Female Athlete of the Year in 2002.

A three-time MIAA Academic Honor Roll member, she was named the Missouri Southern Outstanding Graduate in 2002, earning a degree in accounting and graduating Magna Cum Laude.

An accountant living in suburban St. Louis, Lyons is married to fellow Hall of Fame inductee Brian Lyons. The couple has three children, Lillian, Lukas and Lincoln.

The Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame was established to pay tribute and give deserved recognition while enhancing school tradition by honoring former athletic letter winners and/or coaches who have shown distinctive, unique or exceptional ability while at Missouri Southern or since graduation. The honorees must be graduates of Missouri Southern and there must have been a lapse of at least 10 years since the individual last participated in athletics at Southern.

With the addition of the 2014 class, the MSSU Athletics Hall of Fame now includes 109 members and two teams.

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Groundbreaking for new MSSU baseball stadium set

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

A groundbreaking for Missouri Southern's new baseball stadium will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, adjacent to the MSSU Softball Complex, east of Fred G. Hughes Stadium at the Robert W. Plaster Sports Complex.

The $2.5 million project was made possible through a fundraising campaign initiated by the MSSU Baseball Advisory Committee in collaboration with the Missouri Southern Foundation.

For many years, the Lions baseball team has called Joplin's historic Joe Becker Stadium home. While a wonderful place to play, it did pose challenges in terms of transportation for athletes and students, sharing the field with other programs and a lack of training facilities for injured players.

The new stadium will include amenities such as state-of-the-art synthetic turf, regulation lighting, batting cages and bullpens, fan seating for 600 (allowing Missouri Southern to host NCAA regional and national events), a press box, modern concessions area, ADA-compliant seating and restrooms and a viewing deck that can be used by student, community and alumni groups.

The architect for the project is Corner Greer & Associates, with Crossland Construction overseeing the building project. The goal is for the stadium to be open in time for the 2015 season.

Thursday's groundbreaking ceremony will include a welcome from JoAnn Graffam, executive director of the Missouri Southern Foundation, and remarks from Jared Bruggeman, director of athletics; Bryce Darnell, head baseball coach; Matt Nelson, baseball alumnus and committee member; and Dr. Alan Marble, university president.

"This is a long time coming for this program," Bruggeman said. "The draw to recruits will become that much more attractive with an on-campus facility. I would just like to thank everyone involved in the fundraising efforts. We look forward to seeing the first pitch thrown in the new stadium and to sharing it with the community."

MSSU's Renken named Special Teams Athlete of the Week

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Missouri Southern freshman kicker Brock Renken has been named the MIAA Special Teams Athlete of the Week, the league announced today.

Renken, a 6-1 native of Joplin, helped the Lions to a 34-17 victory at Nebraska-Kearney this past weekend. He hit 2-3 field goals on the day, connecting from 35 and 39, while going 4-4 on extra points and averaging 61 yards on kickoffs.

Renken and the Lions will play host to Washburn University this Saturday at 6:30 pm inside Fred G. Hughes Stadium. The game will also serve as the annual Hall of Fame game for the MSSU Athletics Department.

Southern football to play host to Washburn on Hall of Fame Weekend

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern football team will look to move to .500 with a win this Saturday as the Lions play host to Washburn University for Hall of Fame Weekend. Kickoff from Fred G. Hughes Stadium is slated for 6:30 pm. 

Game Information

Date: Saturday, September 27, 2014
Kick-Off: 6:30 p.m., CT
Location: Joplin, Mo. 
Site: Fred G. Hughes Stadium (7,000)
Series Record:  Washburn leads 21-20
Coaches: Daryl Daye (14-10 at MSSU, 29-48 overall) | Craig Shurig (88-53 at Washburn and overall)

Media Coverage

MSSU Radio: FM 99.7 Real American Country - Mike McClure, Play-by-Play, Aaron Lewis, Color
Video Webcast: http://www.mssulions.com/links/hlqdgb
Live Stats: http://www.mssulions.com/sports/fball/2014-15/boxscores/20140927_ysa8.xml
Lions on Facebook:  Facebook.com/missourisouthernlions
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @mosofootball

The Coaches: Daryl Daye is in his third season as the head coach at Missouri Southern. In his second season at the helm of the Lions, Daye lifted the program to a level unseen in the past 20 years. The Lions finished the season 7-3 overall and were 5-3 in the MIAA. Southern also broke a 20-year drought with a 35-21 win at No. 9 Pittsburg State in the season-finale. The Lions won for the first time in Pittsburg since 1983 and for the first time against the Gorillas since 1993. Nine Lions were named All-MIAA, and 11 players were named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. The Lions' Chris Barnwell and Gatlin Ridgway were named All-Region with Barnwell earning All-American honors. Giresse Forchu was an Academic All-District selection and the Lions ended the 2013 campaign as Division II's leader in time of possession, holding onto the ball for an average of 35:14 each game. Southern also ranked second nationally in both rushing yardage and fewest passes intercepted. In all, the Lions ranked in the top ten nationally in nine different categories, while ranking 14th in turnovers lost. 

Craig Schurig is in his 13th year at the helm of the Ichabods. A 1987 graduate of Colorado School of Mines, Schurig has built one of the most respected programs in the MIAA with three NCAA playoff appearances as well as the 2005 MIAA title coming on the heel's of a 2007, 2009 and 2011 runner-up finish in the conference race. He has completed a 88-53 record at Washburn. The 87 wins are on top of the all-time wins chart at Washburn.

Through his first eleven seasons, in addition to three NCAA playoffs and a conference title, Schurig has led the Washburn football program to the 2004 Mineral Water Bowl Championship and the 2010 Kanza Bowl Championship.

The Series: Washburn leads the overall series between the two teams 21-20-1. The Lions hold a 10-9-1 mark at Hughes Stadium and a 10-12 mark in Topeka. Southern last defeated the Ichabods in 2002 when the Lions won 52-28 at home. Washburn has won 13 of the last 14 meetings including eight in a row. From 1989 to 1997, the Lions won nine games in a row in a stretch that included ten of 11, as well.  

A Victory vs.  Washburn Would: be the first time in ten tries against the Ichabods. Southern last defeated the Ichabods in 2002 when the Lions won 52-28 at home. 

NFL Representation: The Lions will be one of just two MIAA teams (Washburn) to have two different starters on NFL rosters to start the season. Brandon Williams is a starter on the defensive line for the Baltimore Ravens, while Allen Barbre started on the offensive line for the Philadelphia Eagles, but suffered an ankle injury in game one and will be out for the 2014 season. 

2013 NCAA Stats Leaders:  The Missouri Southern football team led Division II in 2013 in time of possession, averaging 35:14 of possession each game. The team also ranked second nationally in both rushing yardage and fewest passes intercepted. In all, the Lions ranked in the top ten nationally in nine different categories, while ranking 14th in turnovers lost.

2014 NCAA Stat Leaders:  After two games, the Lions currently rank No. 1 in Division II in passing yards per completion and redzone offense. The Lions also rank 10th in kickoff return defense, and 14th in both fourth-down conversions and time of possession, while ranking 18th nationally in rushing.

MIAA Stats Leaders: The Lions currently lead the MIAA in redzone offense, passing yards per completion and rushing. Southern ranks second in both kickoff return defense, fourth down conversion percentage, sacks allowed and time of possession

Hey, We Remember You: The Lions will be playing Washburn for the first time since 2011. Southern lost that game at home to 13th ranked Washburn, 30-14.    

National Rankings: Ty'Quan Hayes ranks 49th in combined kickoff returns, while Gaige Washington ranks 43rd in forced fumbles. Deon Price ranks 27th in fumbles recovered, while Kyle Jaski ranks 23rd in punting. Giresse Forchu and Michael Nelson both rank 47th nationally in rushing touchdowns. 

Rushing It: The Lions are ranked 18th nationally in rushing and second in the MIAA after third games. The Lions are averaging 251 yards rushing and have nine rushing touchdowns going into week three. 

Punt it Long: Newcomer Kyle Jaski (Lincoln Univ. of PA) was a Division II All-American last year and he has picked up right where he left off. He currently ranks third in the MIAA and 23rd nationally. He is averaging 41.6 yards per punt, with a long of 59, four inside the 20 and three over 50 yards.  

MIAA Player of the Week:  Missouri Southern freshman kicker Brock Renken (Joplin HS) was named the MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week this past week. He went 2-3 (35, 39) in field goals and 4-4 in extra points at Neb.-Kearney. 

Defensive Dalvin: One of four captains on this year's squad, Dalvin Taylor is leading the Lions defensive effort this year. He has 23 tackles on the year. 

Sack Em Up: Senior defensive lineman Ryon Phillips had two sacks against No. 1 ranked Northwest Missouri. The two gives him 14 on his career, ranking him fifth all-time in MSSU history.    

Team Captains: The Missouri Southern coaching staff and team have voted in four captains for the 2014 season. Seniors Austin Wolfe, Ryon Phillips and Dalvin Taylor, along with junior Jay McDowell will serve as team captains this year. 

Tough League/Region  The MIAA has two teams in the coaches top 25 this week. Northwest Missouri is No. 1, followed by Pittsburg State at No. 8. The Super Region Three, which the Lions are a part of, has eight teams in the top 25. There are 13 teams total that are either ranked or receiving votes in the poll from the region. 

Weather Report:  The weather report for the Joplin area on Saturday calls for a high of 84 degrees with partly cloudy conditions. There is a zero percent chance of rain. 

Next Up: Missouri Southern will play host to Central Missouri for Homecoming 2014. The Lions and Mules will kickoff from Fred G. Hughes Stadium at 2 pm on Oct. 4. 

MSSU volleyball defeats Pittsburg State 3-2

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern picked up its first conference win in three seasons, winning at Pittsburg State three sets to two and picking up a win in the State Farm Trophy Series. Individual set scores were 25-21, 20-25, 25-23, 13-25, 15-6.

Southern (4-8, 1-3 MIAA) was led offensively by Krishna Merriman as the sophomore had 17 kills and 12 digs.Abby Finder had 47 assists and nine digs, while Callie Whetstone and Katie Politte had 13 and 12 kills, respectively. Katie Wiele had a team-high 16 digs.

Pitt (4-7, 1-2 MIAA) had two players in double-figure kills with 12 from Madi Mosier and 10 from Ary Crittleton.

Southern opened the first set on fire, racing to a 7-2 lead after a kill from Merriman led to a Gorillas timeout. The Lions opened up a 16-6 lead and forced another PSU timeout, but the Gorillas scored three-straight points coming out of the timeout and eventually cut the Lions' lead to just five (20-15). Southern held on for the set with Whetstone putting away the final point.

Both teams traded points to start the second set and it was tied at ten midway through. Pitt took a 15-12 lead, forcing a Lions' timeout and coming out of the timeout, the Lions scored two points to cut the lead to 15-14 and tied the set at 16. PSU, however, would go on a 9-4 run to take the set.

The Lions opened the third set on an 11-7 run, and led 16-13, forcing a PSU timeout. The Lions led 21-15 and PSU scored four-straight points, a quick kill from Merrriman stopped the run. The Lions' lead was 22-21, forcing a Southern timeout. An attack error from the Gorillas gave the Lions set point at 24-22 and a kill from Politte closed out the set.

PSU opened up a 17-9 lead in the fourth set, forcing a Southern timeout. Coming out of the timeout, the Lions scored a point to stop the run, but the Gorillas scored five quick points to get the lead to 12 at 22-10. The Lions scored three more points, but PSU closed out the set to force the deciding fifth frame.

The Lions had first serve in the fifth set and Whetstone started things off with an ace. The Lions led 4-3 after a kill from Merriman and another kill from Merriman put the score at 5-3, forcing a PSU timeout. The Gorillas scored a point out of the timeout, but another Merriman kill made the score 6-4, Lions. An ace from Wiele put the lead at three (7-4) and another one gave the Lions an 8-4 lead at the turn. A kill from Whetstone made the score 10-5, forcing another timeout for the Gorillas. An ace from Jacy Ermel made the score 12-5, and another one from Ermel gave the Lions a 13-5 advantage. A kill from Merriman gave the Lions match point and an ace from Merriman gave Southern the match.

The Lions will be back in action this Friday as Southern plays host Missouri Western at 7 pm inside Young Gymnasium.

Schott named MIAA Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Week

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Missouri Southern's Eric Schott was named the MIAA Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Week the league office announced today.

Schott took home the individual title and the 14th ranked Lions cross country team placed third overall in the 2014 First to the Finish Southern Stampede today at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course. Schott traversed the 8k course and came out on top, 17 seconds in front of the nearest competitor, finishing with a time of 24:32.13. He topped every runner in an event that included athletes from two nationally ranked Division I programs (Tulsa - Oklahoma). The 5-8 senior is a native of Cape Girardeau, Mo. where he attended Cape Central High School.

The Lions will be back in action Saturday October 4 as they travel to Fayetteville, Ark. to take part in the Chile Pepper Invitational hosted by the Razorbacks.

MSSU golf finishes 13th at NSU Men's Classic

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern golf team finished the three round NSU Men's Classic in 13th.

Southern shot a three round total of 932 (319-301-312) to finish 10 shots behind Washburn and eight shots ahead of Nebraska-Kearney. Central Oklahoma won the tournament with an 879, followed by West Texas A&M at 888.

Senior Ryan Buerk once again led the way for the Green & Gold carding a 228 (76-74-78) for a share of 32nd. Sophomore Taylor Lansford finished with 235 and freshman Spencer Smythe finished one stroke behind Lansford at 236. Junior Ethan Hutcheson came in at 239 and freshman Aaron Shoemaker rounded out the Lions squad with a 245.

This was the final MIAA points event of the 2014 fall season and in that the Lions placed seventh.

Southern will be back in action on Sept. 29th and 30th as they travel to Kingston, Okla. to take part in the Texoma Championship at the 7,085 yard par 72 Chickasaw Pointe Golf Club.

State Farm to sponsor MSSU/Pitt State trophy series

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The athletic departments at both Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State, in conjunction with your local State Farm agents, are happy to announce the trophy series between the two schools will be known as the State Farm Trophy Series.

Since starting the series in 2009, the Lions and Gorillas have been keeping points of all head-to-head competition between the two schools with the winner taking home a trophy each year. Missouri Southern won the first three years' trophies with Pittsburg State taking the last two.

"State Farm and our local State Farm Agents are proud to be the title sponsor of the MSSU/Pitt State Trophy Series," said Jared Pyatt, Agency Leader with State Farm. "This is a special opportunity for our agency force in SW Missouri and SE Kansas to express our support of the Universities and student-athletes alike. We are looking forward to the partnership and a great year of competition."

The two schools play each other in 12 sports: football, volleyball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's track and field (indoor and outdoor), baseball and softball. The winner of the majority of regular season games, or the winner of the conference track and field and cross country meets, wins points toward the series.

"We are excited that State Farm and our regional State Farm agents have embraced this opportunity to sponsor the Trophy Series between Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern," said Pitt State Athletics Director Jim Johnson. "We look forward to another exciting year of competition between the Gorillas and the Lions in all of our sports."

Volleyball will get things kicked off this evening with a match against the Gorillas at 7 pm in Pittsburg. The two football teams will play in Joplin on November 1 with the MIAA Cross Country Championships taking place in Bolivar on November 8. Other sports will compete throughout the year.

"It's awesome that we can partner with such a great organization like State Farm to keep this trophy series going," said Director of Athletics at MSSU Jared Bruggeman. "We have had some intense matchups over the long history of our two programs, but to put a trophy behind it makes each matchup that much more exciting."

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MSSU football whips Nebraska-Kearney 34-17

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern football team scored 17 points in the third quarter and the Lions' defense held strong as Southern took out Nebraska-Kearney 34-17 inside Cope Stadium in Kearney, Neb.

The Lions (1-2, 1-2 MIAA) rushed for 374 yards on the ground and held a 430-215 advantage in total offense, averaging 5.7 yards per play. Southern also held a 38:45-21:15 advantage in time of possession, where the Lions had over ten minutes of possession in each of the second and third quarters.

UNK (0-3, 0-3 MIAA) scored two late touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but couldn't overcome the deep hole the Lions' total team effort put the Lopers in, trailing 31-3 at one time.

The Lions forced the Lopers to punt on their opening possession, and Southern drove the length of the field withGiresse Forchu capping off a 10-play, 46-yard drive with a one-yard dive into the endzone.

Kearney picked up a 32-yard field goal with 7:33 left in the second quarter and that would be all the scoring the two teams would account for in the first half.

Southern came out of the locker room and started with a statement. The Lions took the ball on their own three and ran it out ten yards to start the second half on the Southern 13-yard line. After an injury to Jay McDowell left the Lions' starter on the bench, Scott Lathrop came out and ran the offense for the Green and Gold. He hitMichael Nelson for a 17-yard catch in the possession, while Forchu, Nelson, and Chris Jeffries had carries during the drive that culminated in a 35-yard touchdown pass from Lathrop to Anthony Cannon to put the Lions up 14-3.

After the Southern defense forced a three-and-out, the Lions drove to the UNK 18 and Brock Renken hit the first of two field goals for the freshman on the day, this one from 35 yards to put the Lions up 17-3.

Another three-and-out from the Lions' defense led to a score as Jeffries got in on the party and ran for a 27-yard score to put Southern up 24-3 with 3:24 left in the third quarter.

The Lions started the fourth quarter with an 11-play, 72-yard scoring drive that saw Shannon Saunders pick up a five-yard touchdown run to make the score 31-3, Southern.

The Lopers picked up two late touchdowns and Renken hit from 39-yards to make the final tally, 34-17.

The Lions' defense forced five three-and-out situations in the game, including back-to-back in the second half that led to scoring drives on each possession. They held UNK to 0-3 on third down conversions in both the second and third quarters and 4-13 total in the game.

Gaige Washington and Johnquavious McBride led the way with seven tackles each. McBride had a sack, one of four on the day for the Lions. Molik Slade, Dalvin Taylor and Erik McKinnon each had a sack for the Lions, while the team as a whole picked up 12 tackles for a loss.

Offensively, Forchu ran for 110 yards and a score, while Lathrop went 2-8 with 52 yards passing and a touchdown and also rushed for 64 yards on the ground. The Southern offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage, allowing just ten yards lost on the day.

Renken hit 2-3 on the day, connecting from 35 and 39, while going 4-4 on extra points and averaging 61 yards on kickoffs.

The Lions will be back in action next weekend, playing host to Washburn at 6:30 pm from Fred G. Hughes Stadium at the Robert W. Plaster Sports Complex. The game will be part of Hall of Fame Weekend when the Lions will induct four individuals (Tim Doss - Baseball, Brad Cornelsen - Football, Margaret (Miklovic) Lyons - Women's Track and Field, Brian Lyons - Men's Track and Field).

MSSU women's athletes raising money with Pride for Pink campaign

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The athletes and coaches in the women's sports at Missouri Southern are engaging in a fundraising campaign this year they have labeled Pride for Pink.

#Pride4Pink is a year around focus on awareness from our Missouri Southern women's sports. The goal of the yearlong campaign is to help raise awareness of breast cancer by promoting preventive and educational material through sponsored events, and raise money for local organizations that work to support the breast cancer efforts.

Missouri Southern and Freeman Health Systems have teamed up to tackle this issue. There will be seven sponsored events in which a FHS representative will be handing out educational material while the Missouri Southern Athletics Department raises money.

They will have events throughout the season and each event is listed below:

The First to the Finish Southern Stampede on September 20th

MSSU Soccer vs. Central Oklahoma on October 23rd

Volleyball vs. Nebraska-Kearney on October 18th

Football vs. Northeastern State on October 18th

There will also be events at basketball, indoor track and field, and softball, but dates will be finalized at a later time.

There are three ways in which the student athletes raise money: each female athlete is responsible for selling pink shirts; the shirts will also be sold at all of the above sponsored events; and donations will be collected at the sponsored events.

Since the beginning of September, the student-athletes have raised over $4,300 and they continue to remind everyone to join them in raising awareness and funds for Breast Cancer Awareness.

For questions please contact Alese Woolard, head soccer coach, at woolard-a@mssu.edu or 417-625-3014.

Southern volleyball falls to Nebraska-Kearney

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern volleyball team ran into a very good offensive team today as fourth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney took out the Lions three sets to none in Kearney. Individual set scores were 10-25, 20-25 and 17-25.

Southern (3-8, 0-3 MIAA) was led offensively by Katie Politte with eight kills. Abby Finder had six kills, 17 assists and seven digs. Krishna Merriman had six kills, five assists and five digs. Katie Wiele had seven digs, while Jacy Ermel had four digs.

UNK (10-1, 2-1 MIAA) hit .326 as a team in the match, led by 12 kills from LaRose Currie and ten from Kinslie TeKolste.

The first set saw four tied scores and two lead changes, but that was all in the first ten points. The Lopers went ahead 5-4 and wouldn't look back.

Southern opened up the second set on a 5-1 run, but a 7-3 run from UNK tied the set at eight. The Lopers went head on the next point and led from there on out.

The Lopers took an 8-7 lead early on and led the rest of the set, taking the match.

The Lions will be back in action on Tuesday, September 23 when Southern travels to Pittsburg State for a matchup with the Gorillas. First serve is slated for 7 pm.

MSSU women's cross county takes fourth at Southern Stampede

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The 15th ranked Missouri Southern women's cross country team had four runners in the top 26 and the Lions finished fourth overall at the 2014 First to the Finish Southern Stampede.

The Lions were led by Emily Harris as the sophomore traversed the 5k course in a time of 17:43.45 and she was the top non-Division I athlete in the race, placing 16th. Senior Kaitlyn Belisle finished just two spots behind at 18th, while Dora Eastin and Kindra Emberton placed 23rd and 26th.

Dana Roberson and Sierra Gray placed 37th and 39th, respectively, while Addie Mengwasser and Lizzy Kirbyplaced 44th and 48th. Kelly Jo Roberts placed 64th, while Kayla Bartelsmeyer and Cora Butcher-Spellmanplaced 71st and 97th, respectively.

The Lions scored 110 points as a team and were the top Division II team in the field. The University of Arkansas won the team title, while the University of Tulsa and University of Oklahoma placed second and third.

Southern was fourth, followed by Midwestern State, Pittsburg State, Dallas Baptist, East Central, Southern Arkansas and Rogers State to round out the top ten.

The Lions will be back in action on October 4 as Southern will travel to the University of Arkansas to compete in the Chili Pepper Invite.

MSSU's Eric Schott wins Southern Stampede

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

 Missouri Southern senior Eric Schott took home the individual title and the 14th ranked Lions cross country team placed third overall in the 2014 First to the Finish Southern Stampede today at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course. 

Schott traversed the 8k course and came out on top, 17 seconds in front of the nearest competitor, finishing with a time of 24:32.13. Senior Andrew Webster placed eighth with a time of 25:23.58. Sophomore Tyler Rush was 15th, while seniors Adrian Todd placed 21st and Colton Wooldridge was 29th. 

Senior Alex Mason was 35th, while sophomore Drake Smelser placed 60th. Freshman Gabe Lodge placed 72nd, while fellow freshmen Ben Southwick and Steven Chorma placed 78th and 79th, respectively. Freshman Travis Elbert placed 130th. 

The University of Oklahoma took home the team title with 38 points, while Oklahoma City University placed second. The Lions placed third with 74 points, while East Central and the University of Tulsa placed fifth. 

Pittsburg State was sixth, followed by Allen County, Missouri S&T, Newman and Maryville to round out the top ten team scores. 

The Lions will be back in action on October 4th, traveling to the University of Arkansas to take part in the Chili Pepper Invite. 

MSSU volleyball falls 3-1 to Fort Hays State

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern Volleyball team hit the ball well tonight, but came out on the wrong end of the box score, falling three sets to one at Fort Hays State. Individual set scores were 20-25, 26-24, 23-25 and 20-25. 

The Lions (3-7, 0-2 MIAA) held a 7-5 lead early in the first set after a service ace from Katie Wiele. Hays (6-4, 1-1 MIAA), however reeled off five-straight points to go up 10-7. The Lions would get to within two four times late in the set, but couldn't pull it out. 

In set two, Hays led 14-13 midway through the set, but the Lions took the lead at 15-14 on a block from Callie Whetstone and Cheyanne Crandall. An ace from Wiele put the Lions up 16-14 and forced a Fort Hays timeout. The lead would be four (20-16) after a kill from Whetstone, but the Tigers would tie the set at 24. Two straight points from the Lions, including a kill from Krishna Merriman gave Southern the set. 

Hays led 13-10 in the third set, but the Lions tied it up on an ace from Katie Politte, and went ahead 17-14 after a kill from Whetstone, forcing a Hays timeout. The lead was 18-14, and the Lions led 23-21 late, but four-straight points from the Tigers gave them set three. 

In the fourth set, the Lions led 8-6 after a Hays attack error. The lead was 9-8 after a kill from Whetstone, but that would be the last lead the Lions would have. Hay's scored four points in a row to go up 12-9 and didn't look back. 

Politte had her best match of the season so far, with 21 kills, five digs and three blocks. Whetstone had 11 kills, five digs and three blocks, while Merriman chipped in with 11 kills and nine digs. Abby Finder had another double-double with 42 assists and 15 digs, while Wiele had a team-high 16 digs. 

The Lions will be right back at it tomorrow afternoon as Southern will be at fourth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney for a noon match. 

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