WARRENSBURG, Mo. – University of Arkansas – Fort Smith took down the preseason MIAA favorites with a 25-14, 27-25, 30-32, 32-30 win at Central Missouri Friday to improve to 2-1 in MIAA action.
The Lions set the tone early, using an 11-1 run in set one to break a 10-10 tie. Middle blocker Brianna Ball and outside hitter Nyia Anderson each had two blocks during the run while Anderson also added a pair of kills. UAFS hit .500 in the set while the Jennies hit .094 with nine errors.
Anderson led the Lions with 19 digs while recording her 11th double-double with 12 kills.
Set two started a run of three back-and-forth sets, with all going beyond the 25 points needed to win. The Jennies held a 23-30 lead before the Lions rattled off four of five points to tie the set at 24-24. After CMU had set point, UAFS scored the final three points to take a 2-0 lead.
UAFS led 13-9 in set three before CMU went on a 7-0 run that the Lions answered with a 5-0 run to go back up, 19-17. The teams later traded 3-0 runs, giving the Lions match point at 24-22. However, the Jennies held off six match points in the set to win, 32-30, to extend the match.
A 5-0 run gave UAFS a 10-5 advantage in set three, but the Jennies responded with six straight, and eventually led the Lions, 20-14. UAFS came storming back, getting three kills from right-side hitter Morgan Creer collecting three kills as the Lions forced another match point at 24-23. Once again, neither team could close out the set until the Lions scored the final three points, getting a kill and two blocks from middle blocker Kaelyn McDonald.
Outside hitter Caelyn Gunn led the Lions with 17 kills while also posting 17 digs, while McDonald and Creer added 12 kills each. McDonald hit .478 and Creer .346.
Setter Scarlette Young dished out 29 assists and collected 14 digs, with fellow setter Trinity Funderburk recording 22 assists. Libero Brooke Rifkin tallied 10 digs.
UAFS netted 16 blocks on the team that allows the most blocks in the league, with McDonald tallying nine and Ball seven.
Next up for the Lions is a matchup at Missouri Southern State Saturday at 6 p.m.
