Box Score | Season Stats
MARYVILLE, Mo. - - Despite junior Megan Sharpe's 20 kills to tie a career-high and double-figure kills by both freshman Allie Brak and junior Emily Briseno, the Truman volleyball team fell to 0-4 in true road matches on Friday night with a 3-2 loss at Northwest Missouri.
The two squads traded the first two sets with relative ease before the intensity picked up for the final three frames. Truman (9-8, 1-4 MIAA) picked up a 25-21 win in the third set, but the Bearcats (8-10, 2-3 MIAA) came from behind in the fourth to steal a 25-23 decision. The third and fourth sets featured 26 ties and 13 combined lead changes to send the teams to a decisive fifth.
It was all about quick bursts in the fifth frame, with NWMSU jumping out to a 6-3 lead before Truman scored seven straight to open up a four-point edge at 10-6. However, it was then the Bearcats' turn to rally, scoring seven of the next eight to pull back in front, 13-11. From there, the teams traded points, eventually leading to a Brooke Bartosh kill for the home team on match point and a 15-13 final.
Sharpe, who tied her previous career-best of 20 kills set last September at Emporia State, put down 20 kills and hit .447. Truman's middles, Sharpe and Briseno, combined for 32 kills and a .458 attack mark, but the Bulldogs only mustered three blocks against a Northwest attack that hit .226 overall. Brak posted her seventh double-double of the season with 13 kills and 17 digs, hitting .250 on 40 swings.
Truman dealt 11 service aces but was saddled with 12 service errors, as the team hit .213 overall. Kylie Easlon was the squad's top setter with 31 assists, while fellow setter Meghan Zimmerman picked up 22 assists and had two aces. Freshman Abby Moser surpassed 20 digs in a match for the fourth straight time and 11th overall in 2011 with a team-high 24 digs – including seven in the fifth set.
The Bulldogs will look to rebound on Saturday (Oct. 8) night when they play host to Missouri Western (9-8, 2-3 MIAA) at 7pm in Pershing Arena.
