PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Missouri Western volleyball team opened its season with a four-set victory over Southwest Baptist at the Gorilla Classic.
 
The Griffons took the first set of the match only to be evened out by the Bearcats in the second through extra points. The next two sets were all Missouri Western.
 
NOTABLES

• The Griffons dominated the ball during the first set, owning a .406 hitting percentage
• SBU got set two to set-point, leading by two, but two-straight MWSU kills forced a back-and-forth until the Bearcats took the set with two-straight kills to win 27-25
• MWSU jumped out to an 13-5 third set lead before a 5-0 SBU run pulled the Bearcats back
• The third went mostly back-and-forth from there before Maryssa Recio and Ali Tauchen ended the set with kills
• Four Griffons had double digit kills: Recio (12), Sam Duncan (12) and Tauchen (11) and Allie Kerns (11)

 
LEADERS

• Recio's 12 kills were a career-high for the senior
• Tauchen had a double-double night, adding 13 digs with the 11 kills and also chipped in five aces
• Tiana Butler tied her career high for digs in a single match with 20
• Lauren Murphy also added 44 assists and 5 digs for the Griffons

 
UP NEXT

• The Griffons will stay in Pittsburg, Friday as they play East Central (0-1) at 11:30 a.m. and Western Colorado at 4:30 p.m.