PENSACOLA, Fla. - The Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team dropped a five-set decision to Wingate University in its second match of the Outback Invitational hosted by West Florida University.

The Bulldogs, who are receiving votes in the AVCA Top 25, won by set scores of 23-25, 24-26, 25-19, 25-23, 15-11 to improve to 5-1 on the year. Northwest fell to 2-4 overall.
 
Northwest had a solid hold on the match after taking the opening two sets by a pair of narrow margins of 25-23 and 26-24. However, Wingate turned the tables on Northwest by storming back to take the final three sets.
 
Payton Kirchhoefer garnered a team-best 17 kills and added 10 digs for her second double-double of the day.
 
For the fifth straight match, Abby Brunssen collected double figures in kills with a 15-kill performance against the Bulldogs.
 
Kyah Luhring registered a 24-dig effort for her first 20-plus dig match this season.
 
Ella Caffery notched a team-best 27 assists, while Natalie Laiolo mustered a double-double with 18 assists and 12 digs.
 
Northwest will return to action Saturday against Spring Hill at 11:30 a.m. and against No. 21-ranked West Florida at 7 p.m.