Mustangs split Viking Invitational opening day

MARSHALL, MO. – The heart of Missouri was the destination for Morningside when the Mustangs hit the road this weekend, headed to the Missouri Valley College for the Viking Invitational.  Morningside fell in its first match, 3-1, with scores of 25-23, 25-16, 21-25, and 25-10, but rebounded in the day's second match, 25-12, 25-7, and 25-17.

Morningside's opening set saw the Mustangs on the short side of an early seven point run before they were able to get on the board.  The Ravens rattled off four more before Morningside was able to reach the five-point mark.  The teams exchanged pairs of points, until Morningside was down 18-11.  The seven point hole didn't deter the Mustangs, as they went on a six-point run to close the gap, 18-17.  The teams would exchange points the remainder of the set, with Morningside making a last stand to narrow the gap to two, 25-23.

Set two was a game of runs, seeing Morningside start with a quick three point run, featuring a Meredith Hoffman kill, one of her team-leading eight in the match.  The Mustangs luck wouldn't last, as a streak of points for the Ravens quickly erased that lead.  The teams would exchange strings of points throughout the set, with Benedictine holding an 11 point lead at one point.

The Mustangs turned the tables in set three, stringing together five points to turn a 12-9 lead into a more comfortable 17-9 lead.  Morningside's lead would wane to just one point late in the set, before a Ryley Rolls kill coming out of a time out would shut down the Ravens hopes of a comeback in the set.

The trend of streaks for the Mustangs' opponents continued in set four, with Benedictine rattling off seven straight points at one point, and barely allowing Morningside to crack double digits.

The Mustangs offense totaled 29 kills, led by Hoffman's eight kills, followed by six for Sydney Marlow and Emerson Smith, and one for Claire Wilson.  22 attacking errors negated many of the team's gains, resulting in a .052 attack percentage in the match.  Gillian DePauw tallied 18 assists, with Bridget Smith working for 11.

Morningside's defense racked up 59 digs, topped by 15 for Payton Shoquist.  Emerson Smith followed with 11, tailed by Marlow with 10.  A team total of 10 blocks was led by Claire Wilson with one of the team's three solo blocks and three block assists.  Emerson Smith shared top honors with four block assists.

The Sioux City squad's fortunes turned in the nightcap, not drawing first blood, but serving as the beneficiary of scoring streaks this time.  A five-point run ignited by a Carlie Wilson kill opened the door for Morningside while a six-point run including a pair of aces for Kendall Evans and a pair of kills for Rolls.

The Mustangs made quick work of Williams Baptist in set two, scoring the first eight points of the match before allowing the Eagles on the board.  Morningside continued to power ahead, closing out the set before its opponent was able to reach double digits.

Set three saw Morningside again establish the early lead, but a persistent Williams Baptist team forced the Mustangs to guard that lead more closely, holding a 10-6 lead as either team hit double digits.  Morningside took control from there, stringing together points while giving up single scores.  The story was the same as the Mustangs approached 25, holding a 20-11 lead along the way.

Emerson Smith was the unblocked Mustangs' leader on offense, striking for 10 of the team's 42 kills in the set.  Wilson followed with nine.  A season-low eight attack errors helped the Mustangs record a season-high .358 kill percentage.  Sabrina Creason took the reins in the setter role, earning all 34 of the team's assists in the match.

Creason also led the team's blocking efforts, with three block assists, and had a game-high three service aces.

A team total of 56 digs was led by Sydney Marlow, with 14, followed by Emerson Smith and Payton Showquist with 13 each.

The Mustangs are back in action tomorrow, starting the day at 11 a.m. with Stephens College before wrapping the road trip with a 3 p.m. match, giving them their first look at Midamerica Nazarene.