ST. JOSEPH - The Missouri Western volleyball team entered the final regular season match of 2019 looking for a signature victory and a higher seed in next week's MIAA Championships. They got it in dominating fashion, taking down Central Oklahoma in straight sets to secure fifth place in the conference standings and the fifth seed in MIAA postseason tournament.
Missouri Western jumped out to a 2-0 lead with little drama, taking the first 25-16 and the second 25-19. The fireworks came in a third set that saw the set tied 14 times with six different lead changes. An Allie Kerns service error gave UCO the serve at set point, 24-23, but a Sam Duncan kill set up what would be a back-and-forth ending that saw five set-point serves. Danielle Moje tied the set at 27 with a kill, then two straight Karly Tharp kills won it for the Griffons.
With the win, Missouri Western secured the No. 5 seed in the MIAA Championships and set up a third match this year with Northwest Missouri. After two five-set wins for the Bearcats in the regular season, the rivals will face off again on Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m. inside Hy-Vee Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.
NOTABLES
- The win left MWSU 3-0 this season over teams receiving votes, but outside the AVCA Top-25.
- It was Missouri Western's first sweep of UCO since the two programs' first meeting in 1997.
- The Griffons tied a program three-set match record with 46 assists. Lauren Murphy led the Griffons with 38.
- MWSU hit .268 as a team and held UCO to a .172 hitting percentage.
- The Griffs had 11 more kills than the Bronchos, three more blocks, 10 more assists and eight more digs.
- Tharp led the Griffons with a career-high 14 kills on a .367 hitting percentage.
- Danielle Moje hit .500 and had 10 kills on 18 swings. It was the freshman's second straight 10-kill .500 hitting performance, doing the same in a sweep of Newman two days ago.
- Prior to the match, seniors Maryssa Recio, Lauren Murphy, Sam Duncan and Tiana Butler were recognized.
--- MWSU Athletics ---