Courtesy: MSU Photo Services Cara Hackmann led MSU with nine kills and 14 digs
The Missouri State volleyball team had its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance ended in the first round Friday by the University of Alabama at Birmingham by scores of 25-17, 25-21 and 25-17 at the NU Coliseum in Lincoln, Neb.
The Blazers (27-7) began the match on fire offensively, recording a kill on each of their first six attacks to grab an 8-2 lead. The Bears were able to pull within five on three occasions but a 3-0 UAB run forced MSU’s second timeout with the score at 15-6. Then trailing 17-9, the Bears went on a 4-0 run but could get no closer than that four-point deficit as UAB would hit .394 with just three errors in the first set to Missouri State’s .176.
Missouri State scored the first two points of the second set and did not trail until UAB grabbed a 10-9 lead. The play was back-and-forth after that until the Blazers captured their biggest lead at 19-16. The Bears answered that with a point but another 3-0 but UAB up 22-17 and on the verge of a 2-0 match lead. Missouri State would not go quietly, using a 4-1 run to pull within 23-21 before the Blazers closed it with two in a row.
Neither team led the third set by more than two points until UAB turned a 9-8 lead into a 12-8 score with a 3-0 run and forced an MSU timeout. The Blazers scored two more out of the break to go ahead 14-8 and got the advantage to seven when a 3-0 MSU run made the score 17-13. The Bears faced that same four-point deficit three more times but drew no closer.
The Blazers hit .337 for the match to MSU’s .186. Cara Hackmann led MSU with nine kills and 14 digs, while Sara Staubach had seven kills on .304 hitting and Bethany Fuller added seven more kills and three blocks. Terri Del Conte had 11 digs to reach double figures for the 24th consecutive match.
Courtesy: MSU Photo Services
