SPRINGFIELD -- Missouri State held the Missouri Valley Conference’s top offense to a .125 hitting percentage and used 18 kills from freshman Christine McCartney to earn a 25-20, 25-15, 25-19 volleyball sweep of Evansville Friday evening at Hammons Student Center.
    
    McCartney had eight kills and eight digs in the first set, reached a double-double early in the second set and hit .500 in the match with 13 digs to accompany her 18 kills as the Bears hit .305 as a team.

    The Bears (15-4, 6-2 MVC) used a 6-0 run in the first set to take a 14-8 lead after it had been tied at each point to 8-8. Evansville (16-4, 5-3) pulled within two at 15-13, the teams sided out to 18-16, and the Bears went on a 4-1 run to lead 22-17 before siding out for the win.

    Missouri State forced eight UE attack errors in the second set and held the Purple Aces to a .027 hitting percentage. The Bears used a pair of key 4-0 runs to extend leads to 11-6 and 17-10 when the Aces threatened and pulled away easily after the second run.

    Another 4-0 run that included two McCartney aces keyed the third set, taking MSU from 6-5 to 10-5. The Bears extended the advantage to seven points at 14-7 before Evansville crept back to 18-17. Kelley Michnowicz landed kills for the next two points and UE got no closer than 20-18 as the Bears again pulled away.
    
    Michnowicz had eight kills without an error to hit .500, and Cara Hackmann had eight kills and 11 digs. Abby Padlock led all players with 15 digs. Michnowicz and Shayla Patrick shared high blocking honors for MSU with three apiece as the Bears had six for the match.
    
    Missouri State hosts Southern Illinois at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Salukis (12-6, 3-5) were swept at Wichita State Friday.