Bears Outlast Kennesaw State for Thrilling 3-2 Win

Friday, October 16

Kennesaw, Ga.

6:00 p.m.

Missouri State University

14-5,5-2CUSA

Kennesaw State

9-10,3-4CUSA

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Missouri St.	25	27	25	24	15	3
Kennesaw St.	20	29	22	26	9	2

Game Notes Box Score (PDF)

Bears Outlast Kennesaw State for Thrilling 3-2 Win

October 16, 2026 | Volleyball

Box Score

By: MSU Athletics Communications

KENNESAW, Ga. – The first ever meeting between Missouri State and Kennesaw State in volleyball turned into an instant classic Friday at VyStar Arena, with the Bears alternating sets with the Owls to a 3-2 (25-20, 27-29, 25-22, 24-26, 15-9) victory.

Missouri State improved to 14-5 and 5-2 in Conference USA play while filling the stat sheet with superlatives across the board, including:

Brooke Eslinger set a season high with 29 digs, becoming the first player in program history with 25 or more digs in three consecutive matches (based on match data through 1987).
The Bears tallied 16 blocks, eclipsing 12 or more in three straight matches for the first time since 2007.
Chloe Judd (8) and Hannah Gardner (6) each tied career highs for blocks.
Riley Ourth tied a career high with four aces.
Mo State equaled a season high with 85 digs.
Halle Rillie set a career high with 18 digs, adding 25 assists for her third double-double.

The Bears jumped out to early leads in all five sets, beginning with a 10-4 start to the first. The Owls (9-10, 3-4) tied at 19-19, and Hannah Redrow had two kills and two blocks in the closing stretch for the win, as Mo State was error-free on the attack for a .406 efficiency.

Missouri State let a trio of set points slip away in the second, pulled away from a 20-20 score to win the third period, then watched a 24-22 lead in the fourth disappear thanks to closing 4-0 KSU run to force a fifth period.

In the decisive fifth set, the Bears bolted to an 8-2 lead and held the Owls to just four kills.

The Bears trailed in most statistical categories but owned a .236-.156 margin in hitting percentage after forcing 40 KSU attack errors while committing just 19 of their own.

Rilynn Finley led all players with 18 kills, while five other Bears had at least seven winners. Gardner was a kill shy of a triple-double with 27 assists and 12 digs.

The teams meet again at 1 p.m. Central Saturday.

#GoBears