Freshman Heather Hargadine paced the 18th-ranked Truman volleyball offense with 11 kills and a .429 hitting percentage, as the Bulldogs cruised to a 3-0 (-14, -22, -19) win against Southwest Baptist on Wednesday night in Kirksville.

Hargadine’s third double-double of the season helped guide her to a team-best 12.5 points, as she added an ace and a block assist to go along with 14 digs. Both senior Lauren Graybeal (9 kills, one solo block, two block assists) and freshman Emily Briseno (6 kills, two aces, two solo blocks and two block assists) compiled 11 points apiece as part of a Bulldog attack that hit .258 on the night.

After Truman (21-9, 9-5 MIAA) took a 2-0 lead to the third set, SBU (10-19, 3-10 MIAA) took an early lead and led 17-14 before a Truman timeout. From there, it was another late Bulldog run that helped the team get out in three, as Briseno served seven straight points following a Hargadine kill to give Truman the lead for good at 22-17. The Bearcats closed to 22-19 with back-to-back points, but the ’Dogs garnered the last three of the evening to close out the match in just more than an hour.

Junior Ashley Petak (18) and senior Krysta Tholen (17) again split the setting duties for Truman, while junior libero Casey Bruno averaged 3.5 digs per set for 14 total on the defensive side of the net.

Ashley Jurgensmeyer’s nine kills led an SBU attack that hit .052 on the night, while Brianna Wallace (29) and Lauren Noble (12) picked up top assist and dig honors for the Bearcats.

The Bulldogs will hit the road for three straight, starting with a pair of matches this weekend at Missouri Southern and No. 24 Pittsburg State this Friday and Saturday.

Courtesy Truman State University