SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State had arguably its best defensive match of the season Saturday evening against the Missouri Valley Conference leader in total victories, scooping a season-best 80 digs and limiting Evansville to a .161 attack efficiency, but the Purple Aces were able to scratch out a 3-1 (25-23, 13-25, 25-18, 25-22) victory at Hammons Student Center.

MSU senior Gerri Idos had a career-high 20 digs, Leah Vokolek added 24, freshman Holly Luginbill had 11 in her second career match and Amelia Flynn had 12 to go with a match-high 18 kills for her sixth double-double of the season.

On the offensive side, Laynie Dake had a season-high 17 kills for the second consecutive match, and Emelie Orlando dished out a career-high 31 assists. Chloe Rear finished two digs shy of her second straight triple-double with 11 kills and 21 assists. The Bears hit .215 with 59 kills compared to 45 for the Aces.

A 7-0 Evansville run put the Bears (5-17, 2-6 MVC) in a 14-8 hole in the first set, but MSU quickly erased the deficit with a Rear kill for 16-all. Missouri State pulled even once more at 20-apiece but never took the lead despite 28 digs and 19 kills, as the Aces (14-5, 5-3) committed only two errors in the frame.

Missouri State caught fire with a 16-2 run to pull away from an 8-8 tie in the second set, hitting .343 as a team with Brooklyn Cink providing five kills and Flynn adding four more.

The Purple Aces never trailed the third set after a 4-0 run to take an early 5-3 lead, gradually pulling away on the strength of .294 hitting.

The Bears were forced to play catch-up again in the fourth, erasing an 8-4 deficit when Flynn's kill made it 15-15. MSU had another chance down 20-19 when an over pass was ruled to go outside the antenna, much to the chagrin of the Bears' bench. That gave UE a two-point lead instead of a potential tie score, and Missouri State eventually fought off a pair of match points before the Aces closed it out.

The Bears round out a busy weekend with a 6 p.m. Monday match at Southern Illinois (10-12, 2-6).