UMSL Rebounds from Slow Start to Win 3-1

Riverwomen Defeat Kentucky Wesleyan

St. Louis, Mo. – The Missouri-St. Louis volleyball team started off slow, losing the first game to Kentucky Wesleyan, before rebounding to win the next three games and win the match 3-1 (26-30, 30-19, 30-28, 30-17). The Riverwomen were led by Heather Nichols (Black Earth, Wis./Edgewood) with 19 kills and 13 digs and Claudia Medina (Las Cruces, N.M./Las Cruces) had 16 kills and three service aces in the win.

The Riverwomen got off to a slow start in the first game, showing the effects of the tough five-game match on Friday night night. UMSL used a 5-0 run to take a 21-13 lead midway through the game, but the Panthers came back with an 8-2 run and tied the game at 23-23 before holding on for the 30-26 win. UMSL then came out and dominated the last half of the second game. Leading by two points, 15-13, UMSL closed out that second game with a 15-4 run to win 30-17. The pivotal third game saw both teams battle back and forth in the early going, as it was tied five times, the last at 10-10 before KWC made a big run. The Panthers jumped out to a six-point lead at 21-15 before UMSL made a strong comeback. UMSL chipped away at the deficit and eventually tied the game at 27-27 on a service ace from Claudia Medina. UMSL then got a kill from Mandi Fenner (St. Peters, Mo./Fort Zumwalt South) to take a 28-27 lead and closed out the game with a 30-28 win. The Riverwomen dominated the final game as well, using a big 9-2 run that broke a 13-13 tie and cruised for the 30-17 win in the fourth game to win the match 3-1.

Heather Nichols had a team-high 19 kills and 13 digs, and Claudia Medina added 16 kills. Mandi Fenner had 14 kills in the game and Daria Sak (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) had 17 digs. Ashley Richmond (Milford, Ohio/Milford) had 51 assists for the Riverwomen.

UMSL improved to 7-10 on the season and is now 3-5 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Riverwomen will be on the road next weekend to play at SIU Edwardsville on Friday, October 15, and at Southern Indiana on Saturday, October 16.