VALPARAISO, Ind. – Missouri State fell in straight sets at Valparaiso Friday evening in a match that included 36 ties and 23 lead changes over the course of the three sets at the Athletics-Recreation Center.

The Bears dropped to 14-7 overall and 5-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference volleyball race, while Valpo improved to 14-6 and 5-4 with the 25-20, 25-23, 25-21 victory.

Each set was tied at least 10 times, and the Beacons waited until late in each period to gain control. After Missouri State's Manuela Ibarguen hit two of her 11 kills for a 13-12 lead in the first, Valpo countered with a 9-2 run to swing the opening set its way.

Ibarguen and Maddy Bushnell landed consecutive kills for a 17-15 lead in the second, and a 3-0 run had the Bears up 22-18 before the home team rattled off a 6-0 run on the way to closing out the two-point win.

A 4-0 Valpo run late in the third accounted for the 15th tie and 11th lead change in that set and put the Beacons ahead 21-19, with side-outs to 23-21 preceding a kill and VU's 10th block of the evening to end the match.
 
Ibarguen added 10 digs for her fifth double-double of the season, Amelia Flynn had 10 kills and Brooklyn Cink finished with 18 digs. Bushnell tallied four of MSU's seven blocks and Morgan Sprague handed out 34 assists.

Valpo led just 41-40 in kills but owned a .233-.137 margin in hitting percentage thanks to 10 fewer errors.

The Bears visit first-place Loyola (15-6, 8-1) at 4 p.m. Saturday. The Ramblers defeated Southern Illinois 3-1 on Friday. The match will air on ESPN3.