HAYS, Kansas – The Northwest Missouri State volleyball team stayed in contention for the MIAA regular season title with a 3-0 win at Fort Hays State. Northwest won by set scores of 25-17, 25-17, 25-21.
Northwest’s win paired with Central Oklahoma’s 3-0 win at Washburn allows the Bearcats to remain one game behind Nebraska-Kearney in the MIAA standings. Nebraska-Kearney is 15-2 in league play, while Northwest, Central Oklahoma and Washburn are all 14-3.
Northwest will play for its first MIAA volleyball regular season title in program history tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Nebraska-Kearney.
Maddy Bruder and Hallie Sidney each posted a team-high 13 kills as the Bearcats hit .310 as a squad. Bruder secured her 15th double-double on the season and her 11th in MIAA play with 13 kills and 11 digs.
The Bearcats hit .243 in the opening set with 16 kills and seven errors, while limiting the Tigers to .088 hitting with eight kills and five errors. Northwest sided out at a 70-percent clip in scoring a 25-17 win.
The Bearcats boosted their hitting percentage to .288 in the second set. Northwest had 15 kills and four errors, while posting a 72-percent side out effort.
Northwest tallied a .405 hitting percentage in the third set with 18 kills and only three errors. Fort Hays State hit .333 with 15 kills and two errors, but could not slow down the Bearcats as the visitors posted a 25-21 victory.
Northwest will wrap up the regular season Saturday at 6 p.m. at Nebraska-Kearney.
NOTES: Northwest’s eight road wins is the third-best total in program history ranking only behind 10 road wins in 1994 and nine road victories in 1980 … Northwest also won eight road matches in 1999 … Northwest’s 22nd victory this year matches the number of wins the Bearcats tallied in 2016 under head coach Amy Woerth … Bethany Elkins chipped in with eight kills (.538) and two blocks … Northwest secured its eighth road triumph of the season to rank as the third-best total in program history … overall, Northwest moved to 22-6 and 14-3 in MIAA play … Fort Hays State fell to 8-21 overall and 2-15 in MIAA play.
— Northwest Athletics —