MSSU volleyball rallies from 2-1 deficit to defeat Central Oklahoma in five sets

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern Volleyball team forced a fifth set and then came-from-behind in that set to defeat the visiting Central Oklahoma Bronchos three sets to two Tuesday night. Individual set scores were 21-25, 25-20, 20-25, 25-17 and 15-13.

The Lions were led offensively by Morgan Nash as the junior had 19 kills, 8 assists and 17 digs to go along with two blocks. Janelle Brehm had 18 kills and 14 digs, while Shaylon Sharp had 12 kills and Alicia Pickett added ten kills and six blocks. Brooklynn McCain had 17 digs, while Makenzie Fa'amausili-Cacoulidis had a match-high 49 assists.

UCO (16-9, 8-7 MIAA) had three players with double-figure digs, led by 15 from Courtney Lane.

Set one saw two different ties and two lead changes, but a 8-1 run early on put the Bronchos up 13-5 and UCO didn't look back.

The Lions went up 12-8 midway in the second set to force a UCO timeout and led again at 19-14, forcing another Bronchos' timeout. UCO got within three at 23-20, before back-to-back kills from Sharp ended the set.

Set three was back-and-forth, with 11 tied scores and six different lead changes. With the score tied at 16, the Bronchos went on a 3-0 run to force a Lions' timeout and then the score was 23-17, forcing another timeout. The Lions got within four (24-20), but a kill from the Bronchos' Lane put the set away.

The Lions controlled set four. Southern went up 10-3 to open the set, forcing both UCO timeouts in the first 13 points. The lead was as high as eight (22-14), before a kill from Nash closed the set.

Southern got out to a 7-4 lead in the fifth set, forcing a UCO timeout, but the Bronchos came out of the timeout and ralied off four-straight points to lead 8-7 at the turn. The Lions quickly tied the set at nine and went ahead 10-9. The set was tied at ten, 11, 12 and 13, before a kill from Nash forced match point and a block from Nash and Pickett sealed the win.

The Lions will be back in action on Friday night as Southern plays host to Missouri Western at 6 pm. The match will be the final home match of the season for the Lions as they honor their four seniors, Pickett, Mikayla Monk, Sydney Dose and Kylee Kaaihue.