SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State pushed Conference USA preseason favorite Western Kentucky to the limit Friday at Hammons Student Center, eventually dropping a 3-1 decision in a highly competitive match.
 
The Bears (5-9, 0-3 CUSA) were every bit up to the challenge all night, hitting above .200 in each set and nearly pushing the contest to a fifth set in their effort to end WKU's (12-4, 3-0) 95-match CUSA win streak. Set scores went 25-21, 25-16, 20-25, 30-28 in favor of the Hilltoppers.
 
Freshman Peyton McKee led MoState with 16 kills, Rilynn Finley had 14 and Grace Smith added a career-high 10 winners.
 
Lizanyela Lopez participated in eight of MSU's nine blocks, Rossana Papa had career highs of 45 assists and 13 digs, and Brooke Eslinger scooped 22 digs to lead a scrappy Bears defense.
 
The Bears played WKU even after a 4-0 deficit in the first set, and the Tops hit .424 in the second to build a 2-0 match lead.
 
MoState grabbed the lead for good in the third with an early 6-0 run, growing the margin to 12-7 on a Papa ace and 18-12 on another from Lexi Weinberg, while Lopez tallied four blocks to keep the Bears alive.
 
Finley's kill for a 17-16 lead in the fourth overcame a 12-9 deficit, and the set was tied at each point from 17 through 28 before an MSU error and WKU kill ended it. The Bears served for the set at 24-23 and spoiled four Hilltopper set point chances.
 
The teams meet again at 1 p.m. Saturday.