SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State closed out its non-conference volleyball schedule Saturday afternoon with a 3-1 setback to Arkansas State in the championship match of the Bear Invitational at Hammons Student Center.

After losing by set scores of 25-23, 19-25, 11-25, 20-25, the Bears will head to Missouri Valley Conference play with a 6-6 record and start the 18-match Valley slate Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. at Valparaiso.

MoState took the opening set on the strength of an 8-0 run midway through that included three kills and a block from Azyah Green and ended with the home team ahead 17-16. The set was tied at each point from 17-23 before an error gave the Bears set point and freshman Breanah Rives capitalized with her seventh kill of the set on the way to a career-high 19 in the match.

The Bears fell behind 8-2 in the second and never got closer than 19-17, then saw A-State (10-2) hit .484 in the third to gain a 2-1 match lead.

Missouri State was poised to force a fifth set with an 18-15 lead in the fourth, only to see the Red Wolves close on a 10-2 run to seal the match.

Teagan Polcovich led four Bears in double figures with 20 digs, reaching that number for third consecutive match and sixth time this season. Rives added 14 digs for the double-double, Morgan Sprague had 15 along with 34 assists, and Kate Owen finished with 10.

Neele'ge' Sims served three of the Bears' six aces, while Arkansas State led in hitting percentage (.234-.092), kills (58-44), digs (89-80) and blocks (13-9). Azyah Green had five blocks for the Bears and Sims added four.

Bear Invitational final standings:
Arkansas State (3-0)
Missouri State (2-1)
Western Illinois (0-2)
Lindenwood (0-2)

All-tournament team:
Kaitlin Whitlock, ASU (MVP)
Sarah Martinez, ASU
Erin Madigan, ASU
Maddy Bushnell, MSU
Breanah Rives MSU
Jessie Seidel, LU
Karli Wenzel, WIU