PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Northwest Missouri State University volleyball squad gained a 3-1 triumph over Florida Tech in the opening match of the Outback Invitational hosted by West Florida.
 
Northwest won by set scores of 25-17, 25-15, 24-26 and 25-16 to knock Florida Tech from the ranks of the unbeatens. Northwest improved to 2-3 on the year, while Florida Tech dropped to 4-1. This was the first meeting between Northwest and Florida Tech.
 
The Bearcats produced a season-best 15 service aces. Northwest came in the match having put up 15 service aces total in its first four matches of the year last weekend. Kate Frakes served a career-best six aces. Frakes entered the match having tallied six career service aces in 19 career matches. Her six aces tied for the fifth-most in a four-set match in Bearcat history.
 
Abby Brunssen contributed with a team-best 16 kills (.448) and four block assists. Kasidy Mohwinkle put up a career-high 14 kills (.300), including two in a row to end the match. Kyah Luhring registered a season-high 19 digs.
 
Northwest had a trio of players capture double-doubles in the win. Olivia Dir had 10 kills and 11 digs for her ninth career and fourth double-double of the season. Peyton Kirchhoefer captured her first double-double this year and 20th of her career with 11 kills and 10 digs. Natalie Laiolo notched 20 assists and 10 digs for her third of the year and fifth of her career.
 
The Bearcats and Panthers were tied 7-7 to open the first set. Northwest used a 7-1 run to take a 14-8 advantage. Florida Tech closed to within 18-16, but Northwest erupted with another 7-1 spurt to close out the set, 25-17. Kirchhoefer blasted six kills on 11 swings for a .455 hitting percentage in the first set. Brunssen added five kills and hit .500 with two blocks. Ella Caffery tallied seven assists as Northwest hit .250 for the first-set win.
 
Northwest benefited from some strong serving in the second set as the Bearcats secured a 25-15 victory. Frakes and Laiolo each posted two service aces in the set. The set was deadlocked at 8-8, before Northwest used a 6-0 sput to gain control. Northwest finished the set with 13 kills and four errors for a .300 hitting percentage. Florida Tech hit .083 with seven kills and five errors. The Bearcats served up 10 aces in the first two sets of the match.
 
Florida Tech rallied to post a 26-24 victory in the third set. Northwest built a 14-10 advantage midway through the third set. In fact, the Bearcats held a 23-20 lead late in the third set. The Panthers rallied to take a 24-23 lead and force a Bearcat timeout. After the Bearcats tied the set again at 24-24, Florida Tech used a block and a kill to tally the 26-24 win and force a fourth set. The Panthers hit .275 with 14 kills and three errors in the third. Northwest hit .170 with 17 kills and eight errors.
 
Northwest gained control early in the fourth set with a 9-4 lead. The Panthers used a pair of aces to cut the deficit to one at 10-9. Kristen Ford answered with two service aces of her own to bump the Bearcat lead back to 14-10. Northwest pushed its lead to five at 17-12 as Florida Tech used a timeout. The Bearcats increased their advantage to 22-16 when the Panthers exhausted their final timeout of the set. Northwest scored the final five points of the match to secure the 25-16 fourth-set win.
 
Northwest will return to action later this afternoon at 4:30 p.m. against Wingate.