Missouri Western won an exciting five set thriller in match two of the 2011 Holiday Inn Express & Suites Classic defeating Southeastern Oklahoma State 3-2 (25-21, 21-25, 16-25, 25-18, 15-13). Tahler Johnston had 20 kills and 11 digs in the match. Western improves to 7-6 on the season.

The Griffons battled back in set one outscoring the Savage Storm 14-6 closing out a 25-21 victory in set one. Alex Behnke’s kill from Sarah Faubel sealed set one for Western. The Storm evened things up at one leading the entire second set taking the 25-21 victory.

Set three also went Southeastern Oklahoma’s way taking the 25-16 victory and the 2-1 lead in the match. Western stayed composed using a 10-2 run in the fourth set to take a 17-8 lead after an attack error by Lunden Azuara. Western won the set pushing the match to a fifth and deciding set which is a race to 15 (win by two).

The two teams would be tied nine different times in the fifth and deciding set. Western hung in there using three attack errors by the Savage Storm in the final four points to claim the 15-13 victory in the set and take the match.

Western hit .181 with 63 kills and 58 set assists. Western had 92 digs in the match with Stephanie Hattey and Sarah Faubel each recording 20. Hattey also recorded a career best 52 set assists while Behnke finished with a career best 19 kills.

Azuara finished with 24 of the Storm’s 56 kills. They hit .165 in the match. The Storm had 81 digs with Azuara leading the charge with 22. The Storm fall to 7-10 with the loss.

The Griffons close out the classic with two matches tomorrow. Western will take on Arkansas-Fort Smith at 12:30 pm and close out the classic against Arkansas-Monticello at 12:30 pm.

— MWSU Sports Information —