SPRINGFIELD — Missouri State dropped its second consecutive five-set match to open Missouri Valley Conference play Monday evening, as visiting Southern Illinois grabbed a 13-25, 25-16, 23-25, 25-19, 15-13 victory at Hammons Student Center.
Despite a season-high 25 kills from Lily Johnson, including six in the fifth set, the Bears (9-7, 0-2) were unable to overcome a 7-4 deficit in the final period as the Salukis (12-5, 3-0) answered each of MSU's four attempts to serve for the tie.
After an SIU block made it 9-5 in the fifth, Lynsey Wright slammed back-to-back kills to make it 9-8. The Salukis answered by scoring the next two points, and Johnson kills twice pulled the Bears within one score before an SIU attack error made it 14-13. Southern then closed the match with its 13th block of the contest.
The Bears were nearly perfect in the first set, hitting .609 with 14 kills, but committed 12 combined hitting and service errors in the second period as the Salukis jumped out to a 12-5 lead and never looked back.
Southern Illinois opened the third set on a 5-1 run before the Bears used a pair of 5-0 spurts to lead 17-14. The Salukis tied the scored at each point from 19-23, but never took the lead, as Wright and Johnson hit consecutive winners for the final two points of the set.
Missouri State went ahead 9-5 in the fourth set on a Johnson kill before SIU took over with a 13-2 run for an 18-11 lead. The Salukis hit .447 with 18 kills against one error to extend the match.
Wright and Aubrey Cheffey each had 10 kills for the Bears, who led 65-60 in that category. SIU edged the Bears in hitting percentage, .261-.255, while Andrea Estrada and Abby Barrow notched 20 kills apiece. Emily Butters scooped 22 digs, and freshman Daniele Messa notched a double-double with 12 digs and 53 assists.
MSU heads to Iowa next weekend for matches at UNI and Drake.
