ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Missouri Western volleyball (21-5, 11-3 MIAA) improved to 7-0 at home with its second sweep of the weekend over Missouri Southern (4-22, 2-12 MIAA) on Saturday night. The Griffons claimed the match with set scores of 26-24, 25-11 and 25-18.
 
The opening set against the Griffons and Lions was an intense battle, featuring 14 ties and six lead changes. Missouri Southern found its rhythm late in the set and reached the first set point after a Griffon timeout. However, Taylor Russell and Emily Loy came through with back-to-back kills to erase the deficit and secure the set.
 
Missouri Western dominated the second set to take a 2-0 lead. They led by as many as 14 after hitting .297 with 13 kills. Loy led the Griffs with five kills in the set, while senior setter Nessa Johnson dished out 12 assists.
 
Freshman Noelle Sutcliffe played a crucial role in the final set for Western, recording five kills and two digs. The momentum shifted in favor of the Griffons at the 10th point, allowing them to secure a seven-point victory and ultimately win the match.
 
Sutcliffe finished with a match-leading 13 kills, hitting .440. Loy and Russell also contributed to the offensive success, each recording 10 kills. Johnson notched her 17th double-double of the season with 40 assists and 12 digs.
 
Defensively, libero Anna Weberg finished with a match-leading 24 double, while senior Lilly Kurz shined with four blocks.
 
Western will resume competition next Friday at the MWSU Fieldhouse for a highly anticipated rematch against the fifth-ranked Nebraska Kearney Lopers. The first serve will begin at 6:00 p.m.