KIRKSVILLE, Mo.—The Truman Volleyball team returned home Friday night for the first home match since October 9th as they took on the Maryville Saints, dropping a hard fought, back and forth match 3-2 (25-22, 25-23, 20-25, 23-25, 15-10). On a night where Ellie Kaat celebrated passing 1,000 career kills, she led the team with 17 and Morgan Smith had a double-double with 13 kills and 13 digs.
Maryville got off a fast start by getting eight of the first nine points in the first set. The Saints were comfortably in the lead most of the set, but at the end Truman made their move. Down 22-17 the Bulldogs reeled off four straight, including kills from Smith and Ainsley Heise, to pull within one. But Truman could not even the set as Maryville won by three.
In the second set, the tables turned. Truman jumped out to the early lead as a 5-0 run put them up 8-3. Heise picked up an ace and Kaat got two kills. Truman led most of the set, but late in the set Maryville made their move and took a 19-18 lead. Two straight for Truman put the Bulldogs back in the lead 20-19, but from there MU took a 23-21 lead and Truman could not recover the rest of the set.
The third set was very back and forth, as the set started each team would score two or three points and then the other team would answer. In the middle Truman got their footing under them with a 5-0 stretch to make it 16-12 Bulldogs. From there the next 16 points seesawed back and forth between the two teams, giving Truman set point at 24-20. An error by Maryville made the match 2-1.
Set number four was nip and tuck throughout, as the neither team was able to move far ahead of the other. With the set knotted up at 19 late, Kate Benzing delivered a kill to put Truman back ahead. Maryville answered with two straight, followed by two from Truman, but MU answered to knot it at 22. Two straight gave Truman set point, but after MU stayed alive for one point an error sealed the set for Truman.
The winner take all fifth set started out close at 4-4, but three straight for Truman—including a kill from Kaat, ace from Katy Motz and kill from Allison Beaton gave the Bulldogs a 7-4 lead. However, MU reeled off six straight and from there Truman could not catch back up.
Rachel DeFries led with 21 assists and Macy Vanfossan led with 14 digs. Beaton and Kaat both had six total blocks.
Truman will be back at Pershing Arena Saturday at 6 p.m. as they take on Lindenwood.
