VB 2023 Celebration
AJ Robbins
The Griffons are 6-3 at home and have swept the regular-season series of Washburn.
2
Washburn Wash 14-9,8-8 Mid-America Intercollegiate
3
Winner Missouri Western MW 18-7,11-5 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Washburn Wash
14-9,8-8 Mid-America Intercollegiate
2
Final
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Missouri Western MW
18-7,11-5 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Washburn Wash 21 25 22 25 6 (2)
Missouri Western MW 25 18 25 18 15 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball | | MWSU Media Relations

MWSU beats No. 25 Washburn 3-2 behind Russell's 24 kills

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Missouri Western State Volleyball beat the No. 25-ranked Washburn Ichabods 3-2 (25-21, 18-25, 25-22, 18-25, 15-6) on Saturday at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

The Griffons (18-7, 11-5 MIAA) were led by a double-double from Holly Heldt, who registered 11 kills and 10 digs on the day. Taylor Russell also added 24 kills to help the attack. On the defensive end, Anna Weberg chipped in for with 30 digs to go with five blocks from Danielle Moje.

The Ichabods fall to 14-9 overall and 8-8 in the MIAA. 

SET 1 | The Griffons survived a back-and-forth first set to win 25-21 in a stanza that featured four lead changes and was tied 11 times. Neither team led by more than four points in the match.

SET 2 | Missouri Western then dropped the second set 25-18, evening the match at a set apiece. Missouri Western trailed by as many as seven points as Washburn grabbed the advantage for good at 4-3 in a set that was tied up four times before the Ichabods took over the lead.

SET 3 | Missouri Western then got back on the winning track, emerging victorious in set three and taking 2-1 lead in the match. The Griffons persevered in a back-and-forth set to win 25-22 in a stanza that featured two lead changes and was tied 10 times. Neither team opened up a lead of more than three points along the way. The Missouri Western offense also got a boost from three aces in the stanza.

SET 4 | Missouri Western couldn't finish off a four-set win as the Ichabods forced a fifth set with a 25-18 victory. The Griffons fell behind on the first point and never clawed back into the lead before falling in the set.

SET 5 | Missouri Western and Washburn went back and forth all game, trading set wins until the Griffons took the fifth set 15-6 and the match. The Griffons led from the first point on in the fifth set to earn the victory. Missouri Western ended on a high note, opening its biggest lead of the stanza, nine points, to close out the set, totaling 11 kills without registering an attack error in the process. got a solid defensive performance from a front row that blocked five Washburn attacks in the stanza.

GAME NOTES

  • Missouri Western had four players in double figures in digs.
  • Heldt had a match-high four aces in the win.
  • Heldt's double-double is her 11th this season. 
  • Missouri Western attackers were helped by a match-high 49 assists from Nessa Johnson.
  • Johnson also had 15 digs, notching her 14th double-double of the season.
  • The Griffons are 3-3 vs. nationally-ranked teams this season.
  • Missouri Western has won four straight.
  • This is MWSU's first regular-season series sweep of Washburn since 2017.
  • Head Coach Jessica Fey is now 3-1 vs. her alma mater. 

UP NEXT
The Griffons continue their homestand next Friday with a bout against Fort Hays State (11-14, 5-11 MIAA) at 6 p.m. inside the MWSU Fieldhouse. The Tigers defeated Washburn 3-1 on Oct. 24 and Newman 3-0 on Oct. 26.

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