Southern volleyball drops two in Oklahoma

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern volleyball team dropped a pair of three-set matches today, losing 3-0 to both Southern Nazarene and Southeastern Oklahoma.

Southern (3-5) got off to a good start in the opening set against Southern Nazarene (6-2). The Lions led 7-5 after a kill from Katie Politte and led again 10-7 after a kill from Payton Graves. The Lions led at 13-12 on a kill from Callie Whetstonte, but SNU started its comeback there. The Crimson Storm tied the set at 13 and scored the next two points to go up 15-13. The Lions got within two points at 17-19, but SNU scored the final six points to take the set, 17-25.

The Lions led 4-2 in the second set, but SNU tied the set at four and went ahead 6-4 after a 4-0 run. The two teams traded points with neither team having more than a four-point lead. The Lions cut the lead to one three times late in the set, the last at 22-23, but the Storm scored the last two points to take set two 22-25.

SNU opened up a 10-5 lead in the third set and led 14-10 midway through the set. The Lions fought back and tied the match at 15 and went ahead 16-15 on a kill from Krishna Merriman. They led 20-16, but the Storm went on an 8-4 run to tie the set at 24 and eventually took the set 25-27.

The Lions were led by 17 kills from Politte as she hit .318 in the match and added seven digs. Abby Finder had 36 assists and eight digs, while Katie Wiele had 14 digs.

Against SOSU (4-5) the Lions lost by set scores of 18-25, 21-25 and 16-25. In the opening set, Southern fell behind 6-1 early on. The Savage Storm would not relinquish en route to the opening set win.

The Lions led 5-4 early in the second set after a block from Graves and Jacy Ermel. The set was tied at seven after a kill from Merriman, but SOSU opened up a 16-10 lead midway through the set. The lead was 20-13, but the Lions fought back and got to within three at 24-21, but SOSU put the set away on the next point.

Southern scored the first two points of the final set, picking up point number two on a block from Politte and Whetstone. The Lions led 3-1 after another block from Whestone and Politte, but SOSU went on 10-4 run to push ahead 11-7 and they would lead from then on out.

Politte and Merriman had eight kills each in the match, while Wiele added ten digs. Finder dished out 30 assists and added six digs.

Southern will be back in action this Tuesday, when the Lions travel to Central Oklahoma to start MIAA play. First serve is slated for 7 pm