Maryville University Athletics

LEBANON, Ill. – In its season opener, the Maryville University volleyball team narrowly lost in three sets to Northwest Missouri State 25-22, 25-23, 25-17. Freshman Emma Keele led the Saints with seven kills and a .333 hitting percentage, while Caroline Glastetter and Leslie Longanbach added six kills apiece.
 
How it Happened
Down 5-4 in the opener, NWMSU committed an error, and a Taylor Reynolds tip in gave the Saints a 6-5 lead. Later, a block by Longanbach and Payton Mandac put Maryville on top 9-8. The score was still tied at 11-11 before the Bearcats scored five straight. Still down 20-15, the Saints roared back with four straight points Longanbach had a kill, and the Bearcats had a hitting error. After a Madi Hartman ace, Mandac put down a kill to trim the gap to 20-19. Emma Hoing's kill made it 22-21 but the Bearcats scored three of the next four to take set one.
 
Trailing by one, Hailey Levinson notched back-to-back kills to give the Saints a 7-6 lead. The Bearcats tied the score before kills by Mandac and Keele pushed the Saints back ahead. NWMSU tallied five straight to jump back ahead. Maryville chipped away by scoring three of four points to get to within 17-14 on a block by Levinson and Glastetter. Still down 23-18, the Saints made another rush. Longanbach had two straight kills, and the Bearcats committed two errors as Maryville closed to 23-22. The Saints pulled even on a Keele ace to make it 23-all. The Bearcats tallied two straight to take the second.
 
The third set was close early until the Bearcats went up 13-10. The Saints tallied three of the next four to climb back into it. Ellie Witthaus notched a kill before the Maryville defense forced back-to-back errors to get to within 14-13. The Bearcats answered with seven straight to take control. The Saints traded kills but never got the gap below five the rest of the way.
 
Statistical Leaders
Kills: Emma Keele - 7
Hitting Percentage: Emma Keele - .333
Assists: Taylor Reynolds - 16
Service Aces: Madi Hartman and Emma Keele - 1
Digs: Mallory Sell - 12
Blocks: Leslie Longanbach - 4
 
Records
Maryville: 0-1
Northwest Missouri State: 1-0
 
WHAT'S UP NEXT:
The Saints continue play in the McKendree Invitational with an 11:30 am match versus Harding in Lebanon, Ill.