SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State hit above .300 for the second consecutive match and collected its third straight sweep Saturday afternoon with a 25-12, 25-17, 25-22 victory against Tulane in the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational at Hammons Student Center.
The Bears (6-2) ran their overall win streak to four matches thanks to efficient offensive performances from
Manuela Ibarguen (10 kills, .391 hitting),
Azyah Green (10 kills, .389 hitting) and
Brooklyn Cink (nine kills, .318 hitting), attacking at a .326 clip as a team to exceed .300 in consecutive matches for the first time since October 2017.
Additionally, Missouri State's 11 consecutive set victories is the team's longest streak since winning 14 in a row late in the Missouri Valley Conference championship 2017 season.
Missouri State led 17-7 on Tulane's 10th attack error in the first set and cruised behind four kills apiece from Cink and Green.
The Bears never trailed in the second period, hitting .333 with 14 kills, while four different players registered at least three kills.
MSU gained its first lead of third set on an
Amelia Flynn ace for a 12-11 advantage and extended that momentum to a 19-13 lead before the Green Wave (6-3) scored five in a row to close to 19-18. The teams sided out to 22-21 when Cink's solo block held serve for the Bears and provided enough cushion for the sweep.
The Bears' defense limited Tulane to .010 hitting and tied a season high with 12 blocks, including six from Green. MSU led 39-28 in kills and 42-33 in digs, with freshman
Kate Owen scooping 13 to lead all players.
MSU concludes tournament play Sunday at 1 p.m. against Saint Louis (4-4).
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