MARYVILLE, Missouri – The Northwest Missouri State Bearcat volleyball squad bounced back Saturday with a 3-0 sweep of the Pittsburg State Gorillas in Bearcat Arena. Northwest won by set scores of 25-18, 30-28, 25-23.

Northwest improves to 15-5 overall and 7-2 in MIAA. Pittsburg State falls to 15-7 overall and 4-5 in MIAA play.

Bearcat senior Maddy Bruder led the way with her 11th double-double of the season with 13 kills and 11 digs. Sophomore Maddy Ahrens notched her third straight double-double and eighth of the season with 37 assists and 11 digs. Sophomore Morgan Lewis recorded a season-high 10 kills and hit .318 in the victory.

In the opening set, Northwest used a 5-0 spurt to take a commanding 18-11 lead en route to a 25-18 win. The Bearcats hit .462 in the first set with 14 kills and two attack errors.

Pittsburg State came back from a 13-9 deficit in the second set to knot it at 16-16. The Gorillas had three set-point opportunities at 24-23, 25-24 and 26-25, but each time the Bearcats evened it up. Northwest eventually took the set on its third chance at set point on an attack error by PSU’s Lauren Dunn. Northwest took the second set, 30-28. Bruder came up with seven kills in the set.

Northwest closed out the sweep with a 25-23 triumph in the third. The third set featured seven ties and two lead changes. The last tie came at 21-21 before Northwest scored three straight points. Lewis led the third-set attack with five kills.

Northwest will travel to Emporia State on Friday (6 p.m.) and to Washburn on Saturday (6 p.m.).

— Northwest Athletics —