Box Score St. Louis - Ashley Selman and Laura Welling combined for 25 kills to lead the Maryville volleyball team to a 3-0 sweep over visiting Illinois Springfield Sunday afternoon. The Saints won 25-18, 25-12, 26-24 and earned their first Great Lakes Valley Conference victory.
 
Maryville held a narrow 8-7 margin before a Welling kill was the first of three straight points. After Hana Michael finished a play, Maddie Timmerman terminated a kill for an 11-7 lead. UIS scored but the Saints tallied four of the next points for a 15-9 lead. UIS got as close as 22-18 but the Saints reeled off three straight points capped by a Taryn Trubich service ace to end the set.
 
The Saints scored the first three points of set two and held the lead the entire way. Selman had two kills, and after UIS got to 3-2, the Saints broke off an 8-0 burst. Selman had a kill and worked with Grace Balcerak on a block to ignite the run. Michael's ace finished the run for an 11-2 lead as the Saints cruised to take a 2-0 lead.
 
An early 5-0 burst built Maryville a seemingly comfortable 9-3 lead, and the Saints kept the margin until 21-13. The Prairie Stars chipped away at the deficit and used a 5-0 run to tie the game at 23-23. Selman had kill but UIS tied it at 24-all on the next points. Welling notched a kill to push the Saints to match point until a ball handling miscue by UIS (2-4 overall, 0-2 GLVC) ended the game 26-24.
 
Selman had 13 kills and hit .300 to go along with three blocks. Welling had 12 kills to finish second on the team. Timmerman recorded seven kills and also picked up two solo blocks. Ali Lampen emerged with 27 digs in the match to pace the Saints defense.
 
The Saints improve to 4-3 overall and even their record at 1-1 in the league. Maryville hosts Webster Wednesday, Sept. 17, in a 7 p.m. start in Moloney Arena.