Final Stats

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Missouri State could not hold off Northwestern's comeback Saturday afternoon, dropping the final two sets of a 3-2 defeat at Western Kentucky's Holiday Inn University Plaza Invitational. Set scores in favor of the Big Ten's Wildcats were 25-18, 20-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-7. Both teams moved to 6-3 on the season.

The Wildcats scored the first eight points of the match and hit .325 with 18 kills in the first set, and the Bears countered by hitting .364 in the second period to knot the contest a one set apiece.

MSU had five blocks in the third period and pulled away from a 19-all tie with a 5-0 run. Simone House and Paige Perego teamed for consecutive blocks for a 24-19 lead, and Lily Johnson spiked home the winner three points later.

The Bears were poised to claim the match in the fourth after Johnson notched back-to-back kills for a 7-3 advantage. Aside from two tie scores, Missouri State held the lead all the way until Northwestern got a kill for 23-22. Johnson's 20th kill evened the set at 23-23, but the Wildcats scored the final two points to force the fifth set.

Northwestern carried that momentum to the fifth, jumping ahead 4-1 and holding the Bears to two kills and six errors in the final stanza. NU had four blocks in the final set, as the Bears were unable to mount a comeback in the 15-7 loss.

Johnson led all players with 20 kills and had 11 digs for her sixth consecutive double-double. Lynsey Wright added 11 kills on .368 hitting, and freshman Ashley Ophoven finished with eight kills to surpass the 100-kill mark in her ninth career match. Only Johnson has reached that milestone in fewer matches at Missouri State.

Emily Butters scooped 18 digs to lead five Bears in double figures, while House and Perego had seven blocks apiece. Perego also earned all-tournament honors for the Bears.

Northwestern hit .251 compared to .171 for the Bears, and held a 68-58 lead in kills. MSU owned a 74-73 edge in digs and 11-10 lead in total blocks, while each club served four aces.

Missouri State closes its road trip Sunday with a 2 p.m. match at Middle Tennessee (1-7).