FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 6, 2007

Lions fall in first round of MIAA Tournament, 3-0 at fifth ranked Truman State

Box Score

Kirksville, Mo. -- Despite 17 kills and 13 digs from Sarah Hoffmeister, the Missouri Southern volleyball team couldn't overcome the fifth ranked Truman State Bulldogs, falling three games to none tonight in the first round of the 2007 MIAA Postseason Tournament. Individual game scores were 30-23, 30-27, and 30-26.

Southern (15-17) tied game one four times in the first nine points, before Truman took a lead at 10-9 and the Bulldogs wouldn't relinquish.

Truman (32-5) started game two on a 6-2 run, but the Lions responded with a 7-3 run to tie the game at nine, then went ahead 11-9 after an ace from Kari Hammerbacher and a kill from Ashley Wright. An ace from Sarah Joles and another kill from Wright gave Southern a 13-10 lead, which would be their largest of that game.

Truman tied the game six more times in the game, before taking a 20-19 lead on a block from Eli Medina and Lisa Weber. The duo hooked up again for another block and Weber banged home a kill to give the Bulldogs a 23-19 lead. The Lions would outscore Truman 8-7 in the final 15 points of the game, but fell, 30-27.

Game three was tied four times, the last at 10 apiece. Truman scored the next two points to go up 12-10 and outscored the Lions 18-16 to end the match.

Hoffmeister led the Lions with 17 kills and 13 digs, hitting .260. Ashlee Russell had seven kills, while Hamerbacher and Jeanna Feldman added 17 and 10 digs, respectively. Sarah Joles and Erin Mitchem added 24 and 13 assists.

Truman will now move on to host 15th ranked Emporia State in the second round. The Bulldogs will play host to the remainder of the tournament.