SPRINGFIELD, Ill.--With the schedule modifications for this season, the Truman Volleyball team has an altered schedule with them competing in five "tri-match" days. The first was Saturday at Illinois Springfield. They defeated #25 Missouri S&T 3-1 (18-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-17) and Illinois Springfield 3-1 (25-19, 18-25, 25-21, 25-17).
Game One
Defense made the difference in this game as the Bulldogs limited the Miners to a .077 hitting percentage. Ellie Kaat led the way with 13.5 points, and tied with Sam Yancy with 11 kills. Kaat assisted on five blocks, with Emma Wollert assisting on six; best mark so far for the freshman from Sheboygan Falls, Wis. Lindsay Woltering tallied 18 digs and Rachel DeFries collected 27 assists.
In the first set, Truman held a 10-9 lead but a five point run by the Miners gave them a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the set. The second set seesawed back and forth between the two, but late in the set S&T held a 20-17 edge. Truman took four the next five points to tie the set at 21. After S&T took the next point, a huge block from Kaat and Wollert shifted the momentum of the match. A Woltering ace gave the Bulldogs the lead, and a kill from Yancy ended the set.
Down 6-5 early in the third set, Truman went on a 5-0 run--started with a kill from Ainsley Heise. Emma Berthold picked up two kills as the Bulldogs took a four point lead. With the score 12-8, another 4-0 run from Truman put more distance between them and the Miners and Truman would lead by as many as 11 at 24-13, cruising to a win in the set. The fourth set was tied at four, Yancy gave the Bulldogs the lead and Molly McGurn picked up her first service ace, and her second two plays later as part of a 5-0 run by Truman. The Bulldogs would not trail again and took the win in the set and the match.
Game Two
Riding high from the momentum of the opening win, the Bulldogs took down the hosts with a .225 hitting percentage. Yancy led with 13 kills and 18 digs while Morgan Smith also had a double-double with ten kills and 14 digs. Katy Motz led with 22 assists.
Early on the first set was tied at four, following a kill from Allison Beaton. It was the start of a 4-0 run that gave the Bulldogs a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the set. Wollert picked up her first career ace in the set. In the second set, Truman led 9-7 early on, but a 5-0 run but UIS in front. Later on Truman drew within one at 18-17, but from there UIS took seven of the next eight points to take the set.
The third set favored UIS early on, with the Prairie Stars leading 13-11. Yancy picked up a kill then followed it with an ace to tie the match. It was the start of a 5-0 spurt which gave the momentum back to the Bulldogs. UIS would later tie the match at 18, but back to back kills from Beaton and Yancy gave Truman back the lead. The Bulldogs would not trail again the rest of the set. The fourth set started with a 5-0 run by the Bulldogs, with Smith collecting two kills. UIS fought back to get within two at 8-6, but a 3-0 stretch by Truman increased the lead back to a handful and from there the Bulldogs were not threatened again the rest of the set as they saw out the win in the set and match.
The Bulldogs will be back in action on the 28th as they host a tri-match with two top ten ranked opponents--#2 Lewis and #9 Drury coming to Kirksville. The Bulldogs will start against the Flyers at 10 a.m. and play the Panthers at 6 p.m.
