Pittsburg, Kan. – Truman State Volleyball opened the Pittsburg State Tournament with a dramatic five-set win over Southern Arkansas before falling to Lubbock Christian in straight sets on Friday at John Lance Arena.
Truman 3, Southern Arkansas 2
The Bulldogs began their season in thrilling fashion, rallying from two sets down to defeat Southern Arkansas 23–25, 24–26, 25–20, 25–15, 15–12.
Southern Arkansas edged the first two sets with late runs, capitalizing on Truman errors to grab a 2–0 lead. The Bulldogs, however, flipped the momentum in the third. Behind steady play from setter Tori Creason, who spread the offense effectively, Truman built a cushion and held on for a 25–20 win to get on the board.
The Bulldogs carried that energy into the fourth, dominating the frame 25–15. The block was a major factor, with Michaela Goad and Autumn Erickson combining for stops at the net that swung the momentum firmly in Truman's favor.
In the deciding set, both teams traded points before Truman surged ahead late. Erickson delivered two critical kills, while Hannah Hosty chipped in with timely swings to keep the Bulldogs in front. The match ended on a Southern Arkansas error, giving Truman the 15–12 win and its first victory of the season.
Erickson led the attack with sixteen kills, while Goad added eleven and Jessica Proszenyak chipped in nine. Way contributed seven kills on a .545 hitting clip. Creason notched a double-double with forty-six assists and seventeen digs, while libero Addy Janssen anchored the defense with twenty-five digs. The Bulldogs finished with seventeen team blocks, led by Goad with five and Erickson with four.
Lubbock Christian 3, Truman 0
In the afternoon matchup, Truman ran into a hot-hitting Lubbock Christian squad and fell in straight sets, 25–23, 25–11, 25–22.
The opening set was a battle with eleven ties as Julius and Way kept the Bulldogs trading points deep into the frame. Lubbock Christian, however, claimed the final rallies for a narrow 25–23 win. The Chaps carried that momentum into the second, hitting over .500 and controlling the pace for a 25–11 result.
Truman regrouped in the third and threatened to extend the match. Julius and Erickson each tallied key kills to push the Bulldogs ahead midway through the set, but Lubbock Christian closed on a late run to finish off the sweep 25–22.
Julius paced the offense with nine kills, while Way added seven on a .545 hitting percentage. Creason handed out thirty-one assists, Janssen collected ten digs, and the Bulldogs recorded ten total blocks.
Looking Ahead
Truman continues tournament play on Saturday with two more matches at John Lance Arena. The Bulldogs face Missouri Western first before facing off aginst tournament host Pittsburg State in the afternoon. The Bulldogs hold large leads in the all-time series with both teams dating back to MIAA competition, with the Bulldogs holding an all-time record of 45-19 against the Griffons, while being up 44-7 on the Gorillas.
Watch Here
