(TOPEKA, Kan.) – The No. 12 Truman volleyball team escaped a five-set upset bid by Angelo (Texas) State before handing Tarleton (Texas) State a three-set sweep on day one of the Washburn Lady Blues Fall Classic on Friday.

 

The Bulldogs (14-2) defeated Angelo State, 3-2 (21-25,-20,-19,24-26,15-12), and knocked off Tarleton State, 3-0 (-12, -16, -16).

 

Truman fell behind 1-0 to ASU (6-7) before bouncing back to take sets two and three. But ASU won in overtime to force a deciding fifth frame and held leads of 4-0 and 7-4 in the final set before the Bulldogs rallied to win, 15-12. Senior Allison Barker (Racine, Wis., Racine Lutheran) (16 kills, 20 digs) and sophomore Heather Hargadine (Labadie, Mo., St. Francis Borgia) (14 kills, 14 digs) each posted double-doubles, with sophomore Megan Sharpe (Edwardsville, Ill., Edwardsville) adding 13 kills and a .360 hitting percentage for the 'Dogs. Junior Erin Burmester (DeWitt, Iowa, DeWitt) tacked on a career-high nine kills on 18 attempts.

 

Senior libero Casey Bruno (Pearland, Texas, Lutheran South) led all players with 23 digs, and senior Ashley Petak (Omaha, Neb., Bellevue West) paced the 'Dogs in assists with a season-high 34.

 

In the nightcap, it was all Truman, as the 'Dogs hit .385 as a team and were led by a 10-kill, 0-error performance by Sharpe in the sweep of Tarleton (13-4). Hargadine added nine kills and nine digs, with Barker and junior Johanna Ruff (Ankeny, Iowa, Ankeny) combining for 14 kills on just 21 total attacks. Bruno and Petak again led all Bulldogs, this time with 12 digs and 17 assists respectively.

 

The Bulldogs will play twice more at the Crossover, starting tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 11 am against St. Edward's (Texas) before wrapping up the event against Abilene Christian (Texas) at 3 pm.