Missouri State opened the home volleyball season Thursday night with a 3-1 win over UC Davis in the opening match of the Results Advertising/Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational presented by Ramada Oasis at Hammons Student Center in Springfield.
The Bears (2-2) recovered from a slow start to down the Aggies (2-2) by scores of 20-25, 25-17, 25-16 and 25-19.
Missouri State fell behind 23-15 in the first set, but a late 4-0 run gave the team momentum heading into the second set, where it opened on a 5-1 run and never looked back. MSU hit .250 in the set and .225 in the match while holding UCD to nine kills in the second set.
The defense tightened up even more in the final two sets, limiting the Aggies to a -.025 hitting figure over that span while recording seven of the team’s 13 blocks.
Several individual performances stood out for the Bears, led by sophomore
Calli Norman’s 16 kills and .414 hitting.
Bethany Fuller finished with 11 kills against one error to hit .500, and
Kelley Michnowicz committed just one error compared with eight kills to hit .318. Those three also totaled seven, five and six blocks, respectively.
Cara Hackmann led MSU with 21 digs, and freshman
Shelby Strang reached double figures for the first time in her short career with 10 to go with a pair of aces.
Addie Foley scooped 10 digs as well.
Missouri State continues play in the event with Memphis (0-3) at 7 p.m. Friday.
