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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Arkadelphia, AR -- The Missouri Southern volleyball team dropped its first match today, 3-0 to 19th ranked North Alabama, but rebounded to defeat Arkansas-Monticello in four games in day one at the Henderson State Tournament. Southern (21-7) fell victim to a sizzling hitting performance from North Alabama in the first match of the day. UNA hit just .255 in game one, defeating Southern 30-18. North Alabama then hit .529 in game two and .500 in game three defeating Southern 30-19 and 30-14. UNA (19-5) hit .405 over the match and got 13 kills from both Nilcia Oliveira and Dee Ayres. Setter Laura Bellinger had 42 assists. Tessa Woods (Joplin, MO/Joplin HS) and Ashley Wright (Everton, MO/Miller HS) had eight and seven kills, respectively, while Sarah Joles (Blue Springs, MO/Blue Springs South HS) added 13 assists. Southern turned it around in match two on the day, downing Arkansas-Monticello in four games. The Lions hit just .163 in game one, but limited the Cotton Blossoms to just an .091 attack average and won 30-26. Southern hit .262, .264 and .360 in the final three games. Game scores were 30-27, 25-30, and 30-27. UAM (14-11) was led by 27 kills, 10 digs and a .370 hitting percentage from Katherine Taju. Setter Maegen Martinn had 61 assists and 11 digs. Woods hit .485 and had 19 kills and three blocks in the win. Sarah Hoffmeister (Joplin, MO/Joplin HS) added 17 kills and nine digs, while both Katie Gage (Lamar, MO/Lamar HS) and Ashley Mehrer (Kansas City, MO/Winnetonka HS) had 12 kills apiece. Gage hit .323 and added 10 digs. Joles had 42 assists, while Megan Norman (Stockton, MO/Stockton HS) added 35 digs. Norman has 571 digs on the season and is just 29 shy of the record 600 that current teammate Amy Barnicle had in 2004. Barnicle is sitting out this season with a shoulder injury. The Lions will be back in action tomorrow with a 9 am match with Alabama-Huntsville and a 1 pm match with Arkansas Tech. Southern swept Tech earlier this year at Young Gym. |