KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - For the second time this season, the Truman State University volleyball team has won six matches in a row. Friday night, the Bulldogs stayed undefeated at home (4-0) with a sweep over Missouri-St. Louis thanks to set scores of 25-18, 25-21 and 25-21.

With the win, Truman improved to 13-3 overall and 5-2 in the GLVC while Missouri-St. Louis fell to 7-9 on the season including 3-5 in league play. Pushing the Bulldogs to their sixth-straight victory was freshman outside hitter, Morgan Smith (pictured), and her career high 11 kills, two better than her previous best. Smith took over for the team's injured kills leader, Ellie Kaat, late in the first set and teamed up with Natalie Brimeyer (10 kills) the rest of the way. The Purple and White's other leaders included Savvy Hughes (33 assists), Lauren Wacker (two service aces and 21 digs), Meghan Gasper (two aces), and Brimeyer (four blocks).

Truman opened the first set with three-straight points before UMSL answered with four of its own, which was followed by the final five ties. Once it was 10-10, the home team rattled off four straight and after that, the visitors were never closer than three (16-13) with the Bulldogs' lead growing to as big as seven (25-18).

The second period was the closest one of the night as it saw 16 of the match's 26 ties and six of its eight lead changes. Aside from Truman's lead at 5-2, neither team would have that big of an advantage until the Bulldogs ended the set on a 5-0 run and won it by four to go up 2-0 in the match.

The third set's four ties came in the first 12 points scored before Truman used a 4-0 spurt to go up 10-6. UMSL then battled back to cut the deficit to one, 10-9, but the hosts were able to put the set/match away with consistent play the rest of the way.

Next up, Truman will host Maryville on Saturday at 1 p.m. in its final home match until Oct. 19.

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