The Missouri State volleyball team picked up its fifth straight victory and maintained a share of first place in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 30-21, 30-24, 30-18 sweep of Indiana State Saturday at Hammons Student Center in Springfield.
Missouri State improved to 21-3 overall and 10-1 in the league, while Indiana State fell to 3-16 and 0-11 in MVC play.
The Bears got off to a slow start in the first game and trailed the Sycamores 15-13 midway through. MSU tied it at 15 and again at 16 before going on a 14-5 run to close it out for the win. Sara Staubach tallied seven kills on 14 swings in game one. The Sycamores were limited to a .022 hitting percentage in the first game.
Missouri State spread out the offensive attack in game two, getting three or more kills from four different players and allowing the Sycamores no closer than four points after an initial 6-2 lead. Sara Thomas was error-free with five kills on 11 swings in game two, and the senior ended the match with 12 kills on .417 hitting.
Game three went much like game one, with the teams trading blows early to a 16-16 tie. Missouri State once again took over late, winning 14 of the game’s final 16 points for the victory. Jamie Adams led the offense by hitting .500 and totaling seven kills, while the team finished with a .316 hitting efficiency in the final game.
Missouri State ended the match with a .256 hitting efficiency and held the Sycamores to .096. Adams finished with 11 kills on .346 hitting, and Addie Foley added nine.
Terri Del Conte led all players with 16 digs, Cara Hackmann added 10 and Thomas and Katelyn Panzau chipped in nine apiece.
The Bears travel to Evansville (11-10, 4-6) Friday for a 7 p.m. match.