SPRINGFIELD, Missouri - The Drury Panthers knocked off the Northwest Missouri State Bearcat volleyball team in five sets on Saturday.
Drury won by set scores of 25-10, 17-25, 21-25, 25-22 and 16-14.
Northwest struggled with siding out in the first set as Drury rolled to a 25-10 win. Northwest produced eight sideouts in 25 attempts (32 percent). Drury went 8-for-10 in sideouts in the opening set.
The Bearcats rebounded by taking the second set, 25-17, and the third set, 25-21. Northwest hit .346 and sided out at 76 percent in the second set. The Bearcats also limited the Panthers to .053 hitting in the second and .079 in the third.
Drury rallied to force a fifth set with a 25-22 triumph in the fourth. The Bearcats hit .068 in the fourth with eight attack errors.
The Bearcats and Panthers were dead even at 14-14 in the fifth before Drury was able to capture the final two points and secure a five-set victory.
NOTES: Hallie Sidney tallied 18 kills and 13 digs ... Jaden Ferguson notched 18 digs ... Maddy Ahrens secured 45 assists ... Rachel Sturdevant, Ferguson and Ahrens were each credited with two service aces ... Morgan Lewis posted five blocks.
SPRINGFIELD, Missouri - The No. 18-ranked Northwest Missouri State Bearcat volleyball team went the distance for the second time on Saturday and came away with a five-set win over Truman State the Drury Tournament.
Northwest won by set scores of 19-25, 25-15, 25-20, 23-25 and 15-12.
Sophomore Bethany Elkins belted a career-high 24 kills and hit .526 for the Bearcats. Sophomore Hannah Koechl tallied a career-high 23 kills and freshman Jaden Ferguson also secured a career-high 21 digs. Junior setter Maddy Ahrens notched a match-high 55 assists. Junior Hallie Sidney pounded out 22 kills.
Northwest will open the home season at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Bearcat Arena against the Missouri Western Griffons.
--- Northwest Athletics ---