CARBONDALE, Ill. – A single point was all that separated Missouri State and Southern Illinois over the course of five sets Monday evening at Davies Gym, with the Salukis winning by the narrowest of margins to wrap up the first half of Missouri Valley Conference play for both clubs.

SIU (11-12, 3-6 MVC) owned an aggregate score lead of 106-105, winning by set scores of 25-19, 19-25, 25-23, 22-25 and 15-13 in the ninth five-setter of the season for the Salukis and seventh for Missouri State.

The Bears (5-18, 2-7) had plenty of bright spots, with Amelia Flynn (13 kills), Sarabi Worsley-Gilbert (12), Brooklyn Cink (12), Laynie Dake (11) and Chloe Rear (11) giving MSU five hitters in double figures for the first time since 2012.

Rear added 24 assists and 11 digs for her fourth triple-double, the most by an MSU player in a season since 1989, while Flynn had 16 digs for the double-double and senior Gerri Idos posted a career-high 23 digs.

A near statistical dead heat, MSU led 60-59 in kills, 75-69 in digs, 8-7 in blocks and .230-.198 in attack efficiency.

SIU used a 7-0 run to take the lead for good in the first set and closed on a 6-1 spurt after a Rear ace pulled MSU within a point, and the Bears hit .300 in the second period to close strong, tying the match a 1-1 and the cumulative score at 44-apiece after two sets.

The third set was tied 15 times with neither side leading by more than two points, and the Salukis swung the decision in their favor with a 5-1 run to turn a 20-18 deficit into a 23-21 lead. The fourth period was more of the same, with 10 ties before the Bears pulled away from a 14-14 deadlock.

Leah Vokolek served two aces in a 4-0 start for MSU to the fifth set, but SIU pulled even by 6-6 and led 9-7 before the Bears rallied. Worsley-Gilbert scored for 9-9, and the Bears tied again at 11 but never took the lead.

The Bears are back home this weekend with matches against Bradley on Friday and Illinois State on Saturday. First serve for each contest is 6 p.m.