WARRENSBURG, Mo. - For the first time since 2015, the Truman State University volleyball team won its first match of the season. Not only that, but the Bulldogs did it against the 2017 NCAA runner-up and No. 4-ranked Florida Southern, 3-1. That marked the Purple and White's first victory over a top-five opponent since defeating No. 1 Nebraska-Kearney in 2012. Truman then dropped a four-set decision to host, No. 22 Central Missouri, in the nightcap to split the day's action.

After making the switch from middle hitter to the outside this season, Ellie Kaat (pictured) shined bright in her first day on the job. For the two matches, Kaat sent home 31 kills while Natalie Brimeyer also racked up 20+ in that category with 23. Brimeyer (.333) was one of three with a hitting percentage of at least .300 along with Holly Hildebrand at .359 (18 kills) and Savvy Hughes at .375 (11). Hughes fueled the attack with 93 assists  (11.6 per set), Lauren Wacker led in digs with 32, Kaat tallied four service aces, and Brimeyer registered nine total blocks.

In the season opener, Truman out-hit Florida Southern .259 to .161 and set the tone right away. The Bulldogs scored 11 of the first 13 points, the margin was never smaller than seven (11-4 and 12-5) after that. and the Bulldogs cruised to a 25-12 set-one victory. The Purple and White then dropped a thrilling second set, 26-24, but weren't going to let the match get away.

In the third set, four of the 10 ties came in the first 10 points and it was 5-5 before Florida Southern went up by as many as four, 11-7, and Truman called a timeout. Out of the stoppage, the Bulldogs rattled off four-straight points to tie it for a fifth, which was followed by five more deadlocks. The Bulldogs' point that tied it at 16-16 came in the midst of a 6-1 run for the Purple and White that put them ahead 21-17 and forced a timeout from the Mocs. After that, Florida Southern was never closer than two points and Truman won the set by three, 25-22.

In the fourth, Truman came out guns blazing with a 9-4 lead right away and Florida Southern used another timeout. The Mocs were able to cut their deficit to two three times at 9-7, 12-10 and 13-11, but the Bulldogs hung together and pulled it out, 25-19.

After a six-plus hour wait, Truman was back on the court to face the host school, No. 22 Central Missouri. Three of the first set's five ties came in the first 14 points and it was 7-7 before the Jennies scored three straight to go up 10-7 and force a Bulldogs' timeout. Truman then notched six of the next nine points for tie No. four, 13-13. After a fifth and final tie at 15-15, Central Missouri took care of business to go up 1-0.

The second set was the tightest one of the match as it saw a combined 11 ties and four lead changes. Truman took its first lead at 4-3 and aside from a tie at 4-4, held it until the next deadlock that didn't come until 15-15. From there until the end of the period, the biggest lead either team had was three and that was when Central Missouri was up 21-18. However, the Jennies scored five of the final seven points to claim the set, 26-24.

Truman had to work extra hard to claim its one set as it came with a 28-26 victory in the third with eight ties and two lead changes, but Central Missouri put the Bulldogs away in four with a 25-23 victory in the fourth.

Saturday, the Purple and White will finish up play in the Peggy Martin Challenge with Missouri Southern State at 11 a.m. and No. 14 Arkansas Tech at 3 p.m.

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