(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)
San Angelo, Texas -- The Missouri Southern volleyball team split its final two matches today at the Angelo State Tournament, winning in five sets over Tarleton State, but falling in three to Arkansas-Fort Smith.
The Lions (1-3) won a thriller of a match in the day's opener as Southern had another strong defensive effort, turning in 12 team blocks and holding Tarleton (2-1) to a .066 team hitting percentage. Individual set scores were 21-25, 26-24, 25-22, 14-25 and 15-10.
In the opening set, the Lions led 7-4 early on, but the Texanns came back and tied the set at nine. TSU scored three of the next four points and led 12-10, before the Lions tied the set up at 12 on a block from Abby Finderand Callie Whetstone. The set was tied at 17 and again at 18 and 19, but TSU went ahead 20-19 and didn't look back.
Both teams traded points in the second set and Tarleton led for most of the set, but never by more than three points. Southern trailed 24-21, but scored five-straight points to win the set.
Southern came-from-behind in the third set, as well, trailing 16-13 midway through, but the Lions scored five points in a row to go ahead 18-16. The set was tied at 18, 19 and again at 20, but Southern scored five of the next seven points to take the set.
TSU led from start to finish in the fourth set to force a deciding fifth frame. The Texanns started the set on a 2-1 run, but the Lions scored five points in a row, forcing a TSU timeout. The Lions led 8-5 at the turn and went on to win 15-10 to take the match.
Kirshna Merriman had 15 kills and 10 digs for her first double-double of the season. Katie Politte had 13 kills and nine digs, while Katie Wiele had 21 digs. Finder had 36 assists and 16 digs for her first double-double, while Jacy Ermel added 16 digs of her own. Whetstone added seven kills, seven digs and 11 blocks.
Arkansas Fort Smith (3-1) hit .242 for the match and swept the Lions in the final match of the day. Individual set scores were 17-25, 18-25 and 19-25.
The Lions scored the first point of the opening set against UAFS, and led 13-11 midway through the set, but UAFS went on a 14-4 run to end the set. Fort Smith led from start to finish in the second set and the third set saw five scores, but Southern fell 25-19.
Politte had nine kills and 13 digs in the match, while Finder added 26 assists and seven digs. Wiele had 16 digs, while Whetstone had seven kills and six blocks. Merriman had eight kills and six digs.
The Lions will be back at it next weekend competing in the South Central Classic played on the campuses of East Central University and Southeastern Oklahoma State.
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