JOPLIN, Mo. — The Northwest Missouri State volleyball team produced a four-set win at Missouri Southern Friday night.
The Bearcats won by set scores of 25-19, 23-25, 25-17 and 25-23. Northwest served 10 aces and held a 62-50 advantage in digs while finishing with 52 kills. Northwest committed limited errors (5) in the first, second and fourth sets to gain the triumph.
Northwest created its separation after an 18-18 tie, winning seven of the final eight rallies to close the first set. Earlier, Northwest built a 5-2 lead behind kills from
Sophia Gartner,
Mya Karrick,
Abby Bulthuis and
Gabrielle Gartner, but MSSU answered with a run to go ahead 9-6. Northwest responded with four straight points, including a
Lauren Schnettler kill, a Bulthuis service ace and a
Sophia Gartner kill, and later pulled even at 17-17 on a block by
Gabrielle Gartner and
Chloee Hayes.
Londyn Smith served four straight points from 18-18 to 22-18 as Hayes had two kills and
Grace Thorne added another, and Northwest finished the set with a 25-19 win.
Northwest built an early 7-4 lead in the second set, using kills from
Gabrielle Gartner and Bulthuis and a
Lily Zimmerman service ace during the stretch. The Lions answered to move in front 8-7, but Northwest continued to respond through the middle of the set with points from Bulthuis,
Sophia Gartner, Zimmerman and Schnettler as the teams traded ties through 18-18. After MSSU moved ahead 22-18, Northwest pushed back with a Hayes ace, an MSSU setting error and an
Ava Plassmeyer kill to make it 23-22. Karrick added a late kill to make it 24-23 before the Lions closed the set on the next point for a 25-23 finish.
Northwest closed the third set by winning the final six points, turning a 19-17 lead into a 25-17 set victory. Earlier, the Bearcats built separation with balanced swings from
Gabrielle Gartner, Bulthuis and Hayes, then Schnettler added two service aces during a push that moved Northwest ahead 18-13. MSSU answered with three straight points to get back within 19-17, but Northwest stopped the run on an attack error and took control from the service line.
Londyn Smith served the final five points, assisting a Hayes kill before Northwest got a Hayes-Thorne block and three straight Smith aces to finish the set.
Northwest closed the fourth set at 25-23 when
Sophia Gartner put down a kill from Karrick after the Lions had pulled within one late. Earlier, Northwest answered a 5-1 deficit with a
Gabrielle Gartner kill, a Bulthuis block and Bulthuis kill to tie the set at 5-5. After falling behind 9-7, Northwest moved in front behind a Hayes kill, a
Londyn Smith service ace and MSSU errors, then Hayes added another kill for a 12-10 lead. The Lions later tied the set at 16-16, but Northwest responded with kills from
Gabrielle Gartner, Hayes and back-to-back finishes by Bulthuis to build a 21-17 advantage before holding off the late push.
Bulthuis led Northwest with 13 kills and 15 points while adding six digs. Karrick finished with 21 assists and 17 digs while hitting 1.000 on two kills.
Londyn Smith served four aces and added 18 assists. Hayes recorded 10 kills on a .318 hitting percentage with six digs and two blocks.
Northwest will return home for its next action on Oct. 9 against the University of Nebraska-Kearney.
