WICHITA, Kan. -- The Missouri State volleyball team won its eighth consecutive match and moved into a three-way tie for first place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings Friday with 3-1 (25-17, 25-20, 18-25, 25-21) victory against Wichita State at Koch Arena.

The Bears improved to 17-7 overall and 8-2 in the Valley after winning in Wichita for the second straight season. The Shockers fell to 15-6 overall and into a tie with MSU and Southern Illinois atop the standings.

Missouri State's defense held the Shockers in check through the first two sets in two similar wins, limiting the MVC's top offense to .062 hitting before intermission and .167 in the match. Simone House and Lauren Boone each had a block and a kill during a 6-0 run for a 17-9 lead in the first set.

MSU never trailed in the second period after grabbing a 5-1 lead. The Shockers tied it at 7-7, and Cambree Villarreal kills accounted for three consecutive MSU scores and a 19-14 lead before the Bears salted it away with a 4-0 run for a 23-16 advantage.

Wichita State used a 5-0 run to turn a 15-14 lead into a 20-14 advantage in the third set while out-hitting the Bears .273-.079, and the fourth period was tied 10 times to 18-18 when MSU's junior class came through with a critical 4-0 run. Wright started the decisive run with a kill, Boone followed, Brianne Dixon served an ace and Lily Johnson fired a kill for a 22-18 lead before the teams sided out to the final score.

Johnson paced MSU with 15 kills, House added nine on .444 hitting, Wright tallied eight and Boone and Villarreal finished with six apiece in a balanced offensive effort. The Bears hit .200 compared to .167 for WSU, and surrendered only one service ace.

Daniele Messa had 37 assists and 16 digs, Emily Butters added 12 digs and House contributed to five of MSU's 10 blocks as a team.

The Bears return home to Hammons Student Center on Friday, Oct. 28, for a 7 p.m. match against Drake.