MARYVILLE, Mo. — Senior
Sophia Gartner's career-high 23 kills powered the Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team to a 3-2 victory over the No. 22-ranked Central Oklahoma Bronchos the MIAA and home opener for the Bearcats.
Northwest won by set scores of 25-18, 18-25, 25-17, 19-25 and 15-13. The Bearcats used a 9-0 run in the fifth set to turn around a 9-4 deficit into 13-9 advantage. Northwest snapped a six-match losing streak and moved to 1-0 in MIAA play. Northwest is 4-6 overall. Central Oklahoma is 10-4 overall and 0-1 in MIAA play.
Northwest recovered from an early 6-3 deficit and took the first set 25-18, with
Sophia Gartner supplying several key swings in the comeback and finish. After UCO moved ahead 7-5,
Maddie Roenfeld put down a kill and
Sophia Gartner followed with three straight kills to push Northwest in front 9-7. The Bronchos tied it at 10-10, but
Sophia Gartner answered with another kill, Northwest Mo. St. added a point on an attack error, and
Natalie Herrington and
Sophia Gartner combined on a block for a 13-10 lead. Northwest Mo. St. later scored four straight points from 16-14 to 20-14 behind back-to-back
Elle Heckenlively kills and a UCO attack error, then closed the set with three
Sophia Gartner kills over its final three points.
UCO broke open the second set late with six straight points that moved the score from 18-15 to 24-15, leaving Northwest to chase the set the rest of the way. Earlier, Northwest Mo. St. erased a 5-2 deficit with three consecutive points, including a Roenfeld and
Mya Karrick block that tied the set at 5-5.
Sophia Gartner helped keep Northwest within reach with repeated kills off Karrick assists, including points that made it 10-8, 16-14 and 18-15. Herrington had two late kills around an
Abby Bulthuis service ace as the Bearcats fought off set point three times, but the Bronchos closed the set 25-18.
Northwest took the third set 25-17 after building an early 8-2 lead and keeping UCO from pulling closer than five points the rest of the set. Herrington,
Gabrielle Gartner, Roenfeld,
Sophia Gartner and Heckenlively all had kills in the opening and middle portions of the set, with Karrick assisting several of those swings as Northwest moved ahead 14-7. After the Bronchos got within 17-12, Northwest Mo. St. answered with consecutive blocks involving
Gabrielle Gartner, Roenfeld and Karrick before
Gabrielle Gartner added a service ace for a 20-12 lead.
Sophia Gartner supplied the final offensive push, recording kills for the 24th and 25th points as Northwest finished off the set.
Northwest cut an 11-5 deficit to 12-10 in the fourth set, using a block from Heckenlively and Roenfeld, kills by Heckenlively and Roenfeld, and a Heckenlively ace during the push, but UCO held on for a 25-19 set win. Earlier, Northwest moved in front 4-3 on a Karrick kill and a
Gabrielle Gartner kill from Karrick before the Bronchos answered with points that put Northwest Mo. St. behind 9-4. After the 12-10 margin, Roenfeld kept Northwest connected with kills at 13-11, 18-13, 22-17 and 23-19, and
Sophia Gartner added a kill from Karrick to make it 14-12. UCO stretched the margin back out through the middle of the set, and Northwest could not get closer than four points over the closing stretch.
Northwest overcame a 9-4 deficit in the fifth set with a nine-point surge, using
Ellery Luhring's serving run to move ahead 13-9.
Sophia Gartner helped keep Northwest close early with three kills from Karrick before UCO built its five-point edge. Northwest Mo. St. then got a block from Herrington and
Jada Smith to start the comeback, Luhring added a service ace, and
Gabrielle Gartner teamed with Roenfeld on two blocks during the run before
Jada Smith's kill made it 13-9. The Bronchos answered with four straight points to tie the set at 13-13, but
Jada Smith put Northwest back in front with a kill from Karrick, and a Northwest service ace clinched the victory, 15-13.
Sophia Gartner led with a career-high 23 kills, hit .378 and finished with 23.5 points. Karrick recorded 40 assists and 15 digs, adding one service ace and two blocks. Luhring collected a team-high 26 digs and added one service ace. Roenfeld finished with nine kills, hit .250 and led Northwest Mo. St. with six blocks.
Up next, Northwest Mo. St. volleyball team hosts Newman on Friday, Sept. 18, at 6 p.m. in Maryville, Mo.
NOTES: It is Northwest's first win over a ranked opponent since a 3-1 victory over No. 25-ranked Washburn Nov. 25, 2024, at the MIAA Tournament ... it is Northwest's first win over a ranked foe at home since a 3-2 triumph over No. 24-ranked Washburn on Sept. 27, 2024.
