SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State took the first set from visiting Evansville on Friday at Hammons Student Center, but the Purple Aces took the next three to earn a 3-1 (23-25, 26-24, 25-20, 25-19) Missouri Valley Conference volleyball victory.

The Bears (8-18, 5-9) entered the night in a three-way tie for seventh in the league standings with the eight-team MVC Tournament now four matches away, and stayed even with Bradley as the Braves lost as well. Murray State, the third team in the deadlock, did not play its home match against UIC due to a power outage.

Missouri State took a tight opening set with the help of a late 5-0 run to lead 22-20, including three of Katie Wemhoener's five aces. UE tied it at 23 before Jaycee Fixsen answered with a kill and Manuela Ibarguen finished with a solo block.

The Bears let a 19-10 lead slip away in the second and held set point at 24-23 only to see UE (11-17, 8-6) score the final three points. The third set was tied 12 times with five lead changes, the last during a decisive 5-0 Evansville run that put the Aces ahead 22-18.

Evansville led 22-12 in the fourth when the Bears nearly returned the favor from the second period with six consecutive points to make it 22-18. The Aces righted the ship and hit .409 over the final two sets and .302 in the match compared to .143 for the Bears.

Ibarguen finished with her 14th double-double of the season thanks to 17 kills and 11 digs. Deja Bickers added 10 kills, Kate Owen's 17 digs led four players in double figures, Morgan Sprague had 38 assists and Azyah Green was in on four of MSU's seven blocks.

The Bears served 10 aces, their fifth match this season in double figures, against only five errors.

Missouri State hosts Indiana State (3-19, 2-12) at 5 p.m. Friday. The Bears will honor Ibarguen, their lone departing senior, for Senior Night 2022.