Springfield, Ill. -Â The Maryville volleyball team closed out a four-match Great Lakes Valley Conference road swing by falling in three sets at Illinois Springfield Saturday afternoon. The Prairie Stars downed the Saints by set scores of 25-22, 25-17, 25-15.
Ashley Selman scored the first point of the match on a kill. UIS answered with five straight points to take its first lead of the day. Trailing 7-3, the Saints embarked on a 4-0 burst. Cassidy Arndt's kills started the run, and Makayla Campbell dished up an ace. Arndt and Emma Basler recorded consecutive kills to forge a 7-7 tie. Deadlocked at 9-9, a UIS error started a 3-0 run for Maryville as Selman notched back-to-back kills for a 12-9 advantage. The Saints maintained the lead and were still up 20-17 after a Zoe Zeiter kill. The Prairie Stars made a late rally by scoring seven of the next eight points to take the opening set.
Allison Lakin had a kill in set two that brought the Saints to 4-3. However, UIS tallied the next eight points to ease out to a 12-3 advantage. Arndt had a solo block to end the run by the Prairie Stars. Zeiter's kill pulled the Saints to 17-9 but UIS scored three straight points and closed out the second set 25-17.
The third set saw back-to-back kills by Zeiter and Basler for an early 2-1 Saints lead. UIS answered with six straight points to jump ahead. Zeiter finished a play as Maryville halted the run at 7-3. The Prairie Stars came back with another 4-0 before Lakin dropped in a kill. Later, the Saints scored three in a row when Lakin had a kill, a UIS error and Kayla Buxton ace pulled Maryville to 15-8. The Saints stayed within striking range at 18-11 after a UIS hitting error but would not get any closer as the Prairie Stars finished off the match.
Basler and Lakin led the Saints with seven kills apiece. Maggie Murphy handled a team-high 14 digs, while Buxton finished with 19 assists. UIS had a strong hitting day and finished with a .374 attack percentage.
The Saints stand at 3-23 overall, 1-12 in the GLVC. The Prairie Stars are now 9-17 overall, 2-11 in the conference. Maryville is back at home Friday, Nov. 4, when Bellarmine visits for a 7 p.m. match.
