FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2007

Records Fall As Lions Sweep Final Day Of TWU Invitational

Harding Box Score| TWU Box Score

Denton, Texas -- The Missouri Southern Volleyball team broke four school records today, two team and two individual, as they defeated both Harding and Texas Woman's in the final day of the TWU Invitational.

All four records were broke in the TWU match that saw the Lions defeat the Pioneers three games to two. Southern set team records in total attempts (271) and assists (78), as well as seeing Sarah Joles break the assist mark (73) and Kari Hammerbacher setting the dig mark with 54. Hammerbacher broke former teammate Megan Norman's record of 48 set last year, while Joles broke Jenny Easter's mark of 71 set in 1996 against North Alabama.

Southern started the day with a five-game win against Harding. The Lions and the Bisons split the first four games, before Southern came out on top, 15-11 in game five. With the game tied at 10 in the final set, the Lions went on to score five of the next six points, capped off by an ace from Ashlee Russell to seal the match.

Russell had nine kills and 16 digs. Hammerbacher had 28 digs, while Jeanna Feldman and Ashley Wright had 10 and 13 kills, respectively. Sarah Hoffmeister added 19 digs and Joles had 40 assists.

The Lions took game one and three in their match with Texas Woman's, and raced out to a 7-3 lead in game five en route to a 15-8 win.

Southern had 80 kills as a team, just three off the single-game record. Four different Lions had double-double's as Joles had 73 assists and 13 digs. Hoffmeister added 11 kills and 33 digs, while Ashlee Russell had 16 kills and 24 digs. Feldman had 13 kills and 20 digs, while Wright and Amelia Judge added 17 and 15 kills, respectively. Hammerbacher was the star defensively with 54 digs.

The Lions went 3-1 at the tournament and Wright was named to the All-Tournament team. Southern will be in action next weekend in Searcy, Arkansas at the Harding Classic.