Volleyball Hits Road Block in Opening Weekend

Nichols Leads Team in Kills in All Four Matches

St. Louis, Mo. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis volleyball team came up short in all four matches at the season opening Missouri Southern Tournament.

UMSL dropped the opener on Friday to 18th-ranked Washburn in three straight games, falling 30-19, 30-18, 30-17. Heather Nichols (Black Earth, Wis./Edgewood) led UMSL with 10 kills and 11 digs in the match. In the second match on Friday, UM-St. Louis dropped a three-set match to Emporia State, falling 30-16, 30-15, 30-21. Heather Nichols had her second straight match with a double digit kills and digs, recording 11 kills and 11 digs in the loss.

On Saturday, UMSL started off with a match against 21st-ranked Augustana and dropped the match 3-1 (26-30, 30-24, 30-22, 30-26). Heather Nichols again led UM-St. Louis with another double-double, recording 13 kills and 13 digs in the match and Chelsea Baumstark (Hermann, Mo./Hermann) had five total blocks. The Riverwomen closed out the weekend against the host team, Missouri Southern, and fell in three straight 30-24, 30-20, 30-22. Heather Nichols had a team-best 12 kills and Shamika Williams (St. Louis, Mo./Pattonville) and Christina Blickhan (Quincy, Ill./Quincy) had 12 digs each.

UMSL will have the next weekend off before traveling to play at the Central Missouri State Tournament, September 9-10.