Despite hitting .340 as a team and getting a 20-kill, zero-error performance from sophomore middle blocker Megan Sharpe, the 16th-ranked Truman Bulldog volleyball squad was outslugged in an offensive showcase Wednesday night at No. 13 Emporia State.
The Hornets defeated Truman, 3-1 (-21, -22, 24-26, 26-24), in a tight match that featured 35 ties and 17 lead changes.
Sharpe put down 20 kills on just 26 attempts, all while avoiding a single attack error, and added six block assists on the evening.
Her personal .769 hitting percentage is the fourth-best mark in Truman history, and the 20 kills marked not only a personal career-best, but also the most by any Bulldog in the 25-point rally scoring era (since 2008).
Three other Bulldogs topped double-figures offensively, with junior outside Molly Sinclair recording 17 kills and a .342 hitting percentage, senior outside Allison Barker totaling 11 kills and sophomore middle Emily Briseno added ten.
All three contributed defensively at the net as well, chipping in a pair of block assists.
The match was close throughout, with Emporia (7-1, 1-0 MIAA) taking a 2-0 lead behind a 25-21 opening set win and a 25-22 second set victory.
But the Bulldogs (7-2, 0-1 MIAA) battled back in the third, rallying late to overcome a 23-19 deficit by taking seven of the final eight points to force a fourth set.
Both teams then continued to improve offensively, with Truman hitting a blistering .462 in the fourth frame and Emporia attacking at a .400 average.
But after taking the set to 24 apiece, it was Emporia this time that broke through late, getting a kill from Brianne Boner – one of her 20 on the evening – and a service ace on match point to deal the ’Dogs their second straight loss after opening the season with seven consecutive wins.
Truman’s worst set offensively was a .212 first frame, with the numbers only continuing to improve throughout the match.
The Bulldogs committed just 14 attack errors in the match and out-blocked ESU, 8-3, but averaged just one service ace per set and were out-dug, 60-56.
Senior libero Casey Bruno led all Bulldogs with 18 digs and two aces, while Barker finished a double-double by adding 15 digs of her own. Senior setter Ashley Petak led the squad with 33 assists, with junior setter Kylie Easlon totaled 21 assists and a pair of aces.
ESU finished the match by hitting .346 overall and were led by Boner’s 20 kills and .543 hitting percentage.
Paige Vanderpool added 14 kills, and Brittney Miller finished with 13.
Truman will return to Pershing Arena in Kirksville this Friday night at 7 pm to host No. 3 Washburn (9-0, 1-0 MIAA), who were 3-0 winners against Northwest Missouri on Tuesday night.
Courtesy Truman State University
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