Oct. 4, 2014 Final Stats
SPRINGFIELD -- Missouri State went toe-to-toe for five sets with Missouri Valley Conference-leading UNI Saturday evening at Hammons Student Center, eventually dropping a 3-2 decision to the Panthers by set scores of 25-14, 16-25, 19-25, 25-13, 11-15.
Senior
Olivia Brand led the Bears (10-7, 4-2 MVC) with 19 kills and a .410 hitting percentage, and UNI improved to 10-6 overall and 5-0 in league play with the help of 20 kills from Eryca Hingtgen.
Missouri State led the Panthers in most statistical categories, out-hitting UNI by a .237-.196 margin and registering more kills (57-56), digs (79-73), and aces (8-6).
The Panthers went on a 5-1 run early in the fifth set to lead 5-3, and, after Brand's kill knotted the score at 7-7, MSU sent its next serve long and trailed the rest of the set. UNI's 4-0 run gave the Panthers a match point at 14-9, and they cashed in shortly thereafter with an ace for the victory.
Each of the first four sets ended with rather lop-sided scores as the losing team failed to reach 20 points each time. Missouri State powered past UNI in the first frame with four blocks and a .310 hitting percentage, and hit .560 in the fourth set as
Andrea Beaty had five kills in six attempts and a pair of solo blocks.
UNI used seven blocks and hit .265 over the course of sets two and three to take a 2-1 lead in the match. The Bears held a 9-3 lead in the second period and 12-8 advantage in the third before the Panthers fought back each time to claim a pair of wins.
In addition to Brand's season-high 19 kills, freshman
Lily Johnson added 16 kills and a career-high 19 digs to become the first MSU player to reach both of those totals in the same match since
Christine McCartney posted 16 kills and 24 digs in a 2012 match against Northern Illinois.
MSU returns to action Oct. 10 when Wichita State (10-6, 4-2) visits Springfield for a 7 p.m. match.
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