UE defeats MSU by 3-1 final
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – In a solid team performance from start to finish, the University of Evansville volleyball team earned a 3-1 victory over Missouri State inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse on Saturday evening.
Following a 37-kill effort on Friday, Giulia Cardona picked up 30 on Saturday. Angelica Gonzalez added 10 while Chloe Cline finished with nine. Kora Ruff had another solid night as she led the team with 16 digs, 46 assist, and 3 aces. Cardona tied Ruff’s mark with three aces of her own.
Set 1 – UE 25, MSU 13
Chloe Cline had a nice start to the match, picking up two early kills as the Aces took a 5-3 lead. Missouri State tied it up and the teams battled to an 11-11 tie. That is when Evansville made its move, scoring the next five points to take its largest lead at 16-11.
After the Bears got within four at 17-13, the Aces put their best foot forward, scoring the final eight points of the set as they cruised to a 25-13 win. Kora Ruff served up an ace to clinch the set.
Set 2 – MSU 26, UE 24
Things were close in the early moments, leading to a 6-6 score. After MSU took an 8-7 lead, the Bears outscored the Aces by a 7-2 margin to open a 15-9 lead. Evansville never gave up and battled back.
Still trailing by six at 20-14, UE scored five in a row to get within one. Cardona added three kills to her tally. SMS retook a 23-21 edge but the Aces continued to battle. A kill and ace by Cardona put UE on top 24-23. Unfortunately, the Bears scored the final three points to take the set.
Set 3 – UE 27, MSU 25
Cline picked up a kill to give the Aces a 3-1 lead before an ace by the sophomore made it a 10-7 game. Evansville continued to add to the lead when another Cline kill gave her team a 17-10 advantage.
A service error by the Bears set UE up with a 21-15 lead, but the visiting team fought back. Four in a row got them back within a pair and after UE took a 24-20 lead, MS came back with five in a row to take the lead. Despite the rally by the opposition, the Aces took care of business, finishing with the final three in a row to take a 2-1 match lead.
Set 4 – UE 25, MSU 22
Blakeley Freeman recorded an ace to help her team jump out to a 6-2 lead before picking up her second of the set to push the advantage to 13-7. Cardona continued another huge performance with kill #28 of the contest cementing a 16-9 edge. With the Aces up 21-14, MSU worked its way back with four in a row.
Evansville regrouped with two in a row to hold a 24-20 edge. Following two more tallies by the Bears, Angelica Gonzalez recorded the clinching kill to give UE its second match win of the weekend. The Aces look for another win on Monday when they travel to Indiana State.
