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Box Score 2 MARSHALL, Mo. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College volleyball team recorded a split on the opening day of the Missouri Valley College Viking Invitational. The Bulldogs fell to Oklahoma City University in straight sets before sweeping Central Methodist University in the nightcap.
Oklahoma City University 3, McPherson 0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-18)
Manon Soraru and Fia Faa'agi had nine kills each while Stefani Nell added eight to lead the Stars, who were receiving votes in the NAIA Preseason Volleyball Poll. Sanja Vojnovic led OCU with 30 assists. Defensively, Lindsey Grace had a team-high 11 digs while Nell added nine to go with one solo block and three block assists. Holly Randall and Faa'agi assisted on four blocks each as the Stars finished with 8.5 total team blocks.
Leia Seiler led McPherson with five kills, while Jessica Sanders and Jocelyn Cochran added four apiece. Cochran and Emily Warner also posted a team-high nine digs.
McPherson 3, Central Methodist University 0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-22)
The Bulldogs, who were picked eighth in the KCAC Preseason Coaches Poll, gave new head coach Jessica Cleveland her first win at McPherson after holding off Central Methodist in three close sets.
McPherson grabbed an early lead in the first set and extended its advantage to five at 14-9 on a pair of CMU miscues. The Eagles cut the lead to one on a pair of occasions but could not knot the score. Lexi Kite gave the Bulldogs the victory with a kill off an assist from Morgan Little.
The second set was a back-and-forth affair with 10 ties and three lead changes. McPherson matched its largest lead of the set at three points when Kite again closed out the set with a kill - this time from Jamie Siess.
Central Methodist grabbed an early 1-0 lead to open the third set but gave it right back with a service error. A pair of CMU errors and a Jocelyn Cochran kill gave McPherson a 3-1 lead and the Bulldogs would not look back. They extended the lead to six points at 15-9 but had to hold off a late Eagle rally before a Cochran ended the match with a kill off an assist from Siess.
Kite registered a match-high 14 kills and four digs, while Jocelyn Cochran added 10 kills and 10 digs. Siess led the Bulldogs with 21 assists, while Little and Kaitlyn Heinis added nine and six, respectively. Siess aldo added eight digs. Emily Warner tallied a match-high 25 digs for McPherson.
Darcy Latham led CMU with eight kills while adding 12 digs. Erin Dodd had a team-high 20 digs, while Caitlin Petty added 19 assists, seven kills and five digs. Samantha Reed and Melody Hanson added eight digs apiece.
"The first match with Oklahoma City, we played well but they were just better than us and ran a fast offense on us," said Cleveland. "We came back to the gym full of energy and came in strong against Central Methodist. This was the first match that we finished well at and stayed consistent. Emily Warner had 26 outstanding digs in the three sets against them. Jessica Sanders and Lexi Kite were a threat at the net. It was a solid first win against a good team."
The Bulldogs (1-1) open the final day of the tournament with a 9 a.m. matchup with Avila (Mo.) University before wrapping up with a 1 p.m. match against host Missouri Valley College.
