JOPLIN — The Missouri Southern volleyball team did more than hang in there with No. 5 Washburn as Southern took the Ichabods to five sets but fell in a thriller inside Young Gymnasium tonight. Individual set scores were 25-17, 12-25, 25-22, 20-25 and 12-15.
Southern (8-9, 1-6 MIAA) was led by Morgan Nash who posted her fourth triple-double of the season with 12 kills, 22 assists and 12 digs to go along with three blocks. CC Pollard had ten kills, while Brooklynn McCain had 24 digs and Cassie Walton added 17. Janelle Brehm narrowly missed out on a double-double with nine kills and 11 digs, while Alicia Pickett had seven blocks. Makenzie Fa’amausili-Cacoulidis added 17 assists and nine digs.
Washburn (14-1, 6-1 MIAA) got 17 kills from Kelsey Gordon as she hit .364. Allison Sadler dished out 52 assists and added 15 digs.
The first set was full of runs. The Lions opened on a 4-0 run, while Washburn followed that with a 5-0 run of its own. Southern then answered with another 4-0 run to lead 8-5 and force an Ichabods’ timeout. The Lions led 12-11 midway through, but reeled off seven of the next 11 points to go up 19-14 and force another Washburn timeout. The Lions closed the set on a 6-3 run to take the win.
Washburn controlled the second set. There four tied scores all in the first 11 points, but Washburn reeled off a 5-0 run to break open an 11-11 tie and lead 16-11, forcing a Lions’ timeout. With the Ichabods up 17-12, Sydney Pullen served out the final eight points in a row for Washburn to take the set.
Set three saw nine tied scores and two lead changes, but the Lions made a push midway through the set to get within one (17-16) to force a Washburn timeout. The Lions continued the push and led 21-19 and forced another Ichabods’ timeout. The set was tied at 21 and 22, but Southern scored three-straight to take the set.
Southern opened the fourth set up 6-2 to force a Washburn timeout. The Ichabods pushed back and got within one of the Lions (12-11) to force a Southern timeout. the score went back and fourth before four-straight points gave Washburn a 17-13 lead. The Lions tied the set at 19 to force a Washburn timeout, but the Ichabods answered right back going up 21-19 and taking the set 25-20 to force the decisive fifth set.
In the fifth set, Washburn led from start to finish, but after the Ichabods opened on a 7-1 run, the Lions got within three four times and then got within two at 13-11 to force a Washburn timeout. The Ichabods scored three of the final four points to take the match.
