INDIANAPOLIS – The fourth ranked University of Missouri-St. Louis volleyball team dropped its opening set but rallied to win the next three to defeat Indianapolis 3-1 and extend its win streak to 16 on Friday evening at the Ruth Lily Fitness Center in Indianapolis.
UIndy (13-4, 3-2 GLVC) scored four of the first five points to begin the match but the Tritons (16-0, 4-0 GLVC) responded with a 7-4 run to take a 10-8 lead after
Mya Elliott blocked Elizabeth Eads. UMSL still led 12-11 but that would be its last lead of the frame as the Greyhounds went on a 5-0 run to seize control and wouldn't let the Tritons get closer than three points the rest of the set. The Hounds took the opener 25-20 snapping UMSL's 20-set winning streak.
The Tritons scored first two points of the second stanza but UIndy countered with a 7-3 run to take a 7-5 lead after Lauren Cullison blocked
Lexie Rang. UMSL ran off the next five points to take a three-point lead after an ace serve from Rang but the Hounds answered right back with four straight of their own.
The Tritons countered with four straight of their own as
Delaney Humm and
Hannah Copeland each had two kills in a 4-0 run to give UMSL the lead for good in the frame. UIndy pulled to within 15-13 but wouldn't get any closer as the Tritons led by as many as eight points in the 25-17 win to even the match at a set apiece.
The Greyhounds raced out to a four-point lead in the swing set and still led by three halfway through but UMSL rallied with a 9-3 run turning the deficit into a three-point lead after a kill from Elliott. The Tritons extended their lead to five but UIndy made a late push closing to within three but UMSL was able to close out the set scoring two of the last three points to win 25-21 on a kill from
Hailey Flowers.
UMSL jumped out to a 5-1 lead to begin set four and wouldn't trail as it led by as many as seven at 19-12 after a kill from Flowers. The Hounds scored four straight to pull within three but it wouldn't be enough as the Tritons scored six of the final eight points to win the frame 25-18 and complete the comeback.
UMSL hit a .350 in the match with 67 kills against 17 errors in 143 chances and was led by Rang with a match-high 20 kills while Humm and Flowers had 18 and 14 kills respectively.
Caitlin Bishop handed out a season-high 60 assists while Rang had three aces and 13 digs and Elliott finished with two blocks.
UIndy finished the match with a .252 hitting percentage recording 51 kills against 16 errors in 139 swings. It was led by Grace Hegwood with 14 kills while Sophia Parlanti and Cullison had 11 kills each. Claire Morris finished with 45 assists while Hegwood had three aces and 12 digs.
The Tritons are back in action on Saturday afternoon taking on No. 16 Lewis in a top-20 contest at 3 p.m. at Neil Carey Arena in Romeoville, Ill. The Flyers defeated McKendree 3-1 on Friday evening.
