NASHVILLE - The Lipscomb University volleyball team used a strong third set to avoid the sweep, but the University of Missouri held off the Bisons' come-from-behind attempt with a 3-1 victory Thursday night from the Lippy Invite presented by the Nashville Sports Council and Women in Sports Committee.
Final Score: Missouri 3, Lipscomb 1 (25-17, 25-16, 23-25, 25-17)
Location: Allen Arena
Records: Lipscomb (3-7), Missouri (7-3)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tigers came out swinging to start, sprinting out to an 11-4 lead. Missouri posted 14 kills and a .393 swing percentage and held the Bisons to eight attack errors in motion to a 25-17 opening set win.
Set number two was all the same for the Mizzou offense, getting out to a 7-1 lead thanks to four kills early. They moved the score to 22-9 late in the frame after 16 kills on 24 total swings and one attack error.
That same attack error gave Lipscomb the spark they needed. With Courtney Jones behind the service line, the Bisons went on a four-point run, capped by two service aces.
Despite the Tigers winning the second frame 25-16, the Bisons finished the set on a 7-3 run.
The third set saw seven ties and three lead changes, with the Bisons holding the 15-12 edge at the media timeout.
Missouri would rally to retake the lead, 23-22 on a Colleen Finney kill, but following a Lipscomb timeout, they scored the final three points, starting with a block by Meg Mersman and Addi Pelham to earn the side out.
Mersman and Jada DiVita posted back-to-back spikes to give the home team the 25-23 victory and advance the match to a fourth set.
Between sets one and two, the Bisons posted 17 kills. In the third, they smashed 16 and committed one error on 34 attacks for a .441 percentage.
Set number four was extremely competitive in the early going, but ahead 6-5, the Tigers went on a 9-5 run to swell the lead to 15-10 at the media break. Unfortunately, Missouri put together six straight aces by Jordan Iliff to extend the lead to 19-10.
The Bisons would get the side out and cut the deficit to 23-17, but the Tigers won the final two points to secure the match.
QUOTABLE
Hear from head coach Brandon Rosenthal after Thursday's loss to the Tigers.
KEY STATISTICS
Courtney Jones led the Bisons' attack with 13 kills and added two aces. Libby Steinhart and Karlie McNabb each had eight digs.
Jada DiVita posted eight kills, while Meg Mersman added seven kills and four block assists.
Sophia Hudepohl posted 28 assists, while Addi Pelham contributed three total blocks and five kills.
HERD NOTES
Needing two entering Thursday's play, Jada DiVita surpassed 500 career kills.
UP NEXT
Following a neutral-site contest with Missouri and Illinois on Friday, the Lippy Invite presented by the Nashville Sports Council and Women in Sports Committee will conclude when the Bisons take on the Fighting Illini Saturday evening at 6 p.m.
