OWENSBORO, Ky. -- It took two different approaches, but the Missouri Western women's volleyball team wrapped up play in the Kentucky Wesleyan tournament with a pair of wins to bring a 4-0 tournament mark back to St. Joseph. The Griffons capitalized on a scorching hot .765 hitting percentage and 14 kills from Ali Tauchen to pick up a 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-19) win over Marysville University in the day's opener, and recorded 14 block assists and three solos to earn a tough 3-1 (19-25, 25-17, 25-17, 25-12) win over the University of Montevallo. The sweep moves MWSU to 7-1 for the first time in Marian Carbin's tenure as head coach.
Tauchen was one of two MWSU players to record double-digit kills against the Saints, as Karly Thorp added 13 kills and a .346 hitting percentage in the straight sets win over cross-state foe Maryville University. Jenna Boland handed out 34 assists in the match.
MWSU ran into a brief hiccup in the tournament finale, dropping the first set against Montevallo 25-19 courtesy of a 13-8 deficit in service aces for the Griffons. The second set was a tightly pitched duel, but five kills from Karly Tharp and three each from Haiey Crane and Allie Kerns led MWSU to a 25-17 win in set two, and the Griffons simply outpaced the Falcons in sets three and four.
The Griffons are set to open MIAA action this week, traveling to Warrensburg, Mo., on Tuesday to take on the University of Central Missouri. First serve is set for 6 p.m., and the match will be carried live on the MIAA Network.