KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – No. 21 Griffon Volleyball (8-3) wrapped up the Truman State Tournament on Saturday, September 20, inside Pershing Arena with a non-conference matchup against Rockhurst (6-4).

In the opening set, MWSU and Rockhurst traded points in a tight battle, with the Griffons going ahead 12-10 midway through. The score remained close down the stretch, knotted at 20-20, before Rockhurst strung together a 5-0 run to close it out, 25-20. Set two saw Rockhurst jump out quickly, building a 12-5 advantage. The Griffons fought back to narrow the gap to 13-11, but the Hawks answered with another big run to pull away and secure a 25-15 win.

The third set was the closest of the match, featuring back-and-forth rallies and a 17-17 tie. MoWest then surged with a five-point run to take a 22-17 lead. However, Rockhurst responded with a late push of its own, rallying to claim the set 26-24 and complete the sweep.

MWSU attack was led by Taylor Russell, who led the Griffons with 10 kills, while Brooklyn Gormley followed closely behind with eight kills on an efficient .538 hitting percentage. Emma Salker added seven kills. On the defensive side, Holly Heldt and Lia Graham each tallied nine digs, with Anna Weberg leading the way at 10 digs. Graham also sparked the service game with two aces. At the net, Russell and Gormley each recorded a block assist. Setter Katelyn Diani-O'Day paced the offense with 21 assists.

UP NEXT
MoWest will open MIAA play on the road, traveling to Emporia, Kansas, on September 26 for a matchup against Emporia State. First serve is set for 6:00 p.m.