Members of the UMSL women’s volleyball team celebrate winning Saturday’s match against No. 25 Rockhurst. (Photo: Terrance Williams)

NCAA Volleyball – Sept. 22, 2023123F
William Jewell (5-7, 0-1)161719(0)
#5 UMSL (13-0, 1-0)252525(3)
NCAA Volleyball – Sept. 23, 2023123F
#25 Rockhurst (10-2, 1-1)161816(0)
#5 UMSL (13-0, 1-0)252525(3)

Nora Nichols
Staff Writer

NORMANDY, MO — The fifth-ranked University of Missouri-St. Louis women’s volleyball team is off to its best start in school history at 14-0 overall and 2-0 Great Lakes Valley Conference play, after sweeping a pair of matches over the weekend in its home debut at the Mark Twain Building against William Jewell on Friday and Rockhurst on Saturday.

The Tritons dominated play in both matches and won both in straight sets. Overall, UMSL totaled 96 kills in the two matches, while WJC and Rockhurst combined for just 56 kills.

Senior hitters Delaney Humm and Lexie Rang were fantastic in both matches. The duo combined for 49 kills just by themselves.

Humm led in both matches. She had 15 kills against WJC and 11 against Rockhurst. Rang added 13 kills and 10 more, respectively.

Middle blocker Mya Elliott also played well. She had eight kills and five blocks on Friday, and 10 kills and two blocks on Saturday.

Sophomore setter Caitlin Bishop was also a key figure in UMSL’s hitting dominance. She had 46 assists in the match on Friday and 41 on Saturday.

William Jewell 0 #5 UMSL 3
The Tritons fell into an early four-point hole but was able to recover to take a 12-10 lead after a kill from Hannah Copeland. UMSL pushed its lead to four at 18-14 after a kill from Rang but the Cardinals (5-7, 0-1 GLVC) cut the lead in half to 18-16 after a service ace from Brooke Tholen. That would be as close as Jewell got the rest of the way as the Tritons scored the final seven points of the stanza to take the opener 25-16.

The Cardinals jumped out to a 3-1 lead to start the second set but UMSL countered with a 6-1 run to build a five-point lead after a kill from Copeland. WJC cut the deficit to 16-14 after an error from Copeland but wouldn’t get any closer as the Tritons finished the frame on a 9-3 run to take it 25-17 and the commanding 2-0 lead.

UMSL never trailed in the final stanza jumping out to an early three-point lead and led by as many as seven points late in the set. The Cardinals fought off two set points but couldn’t stave off a third as Mya Elliott terminated a ball to end it for the 25-19 victory.

#25 Rockhurst 0 #5 UMSL 3
The Tritons hit .330 for the match with 49 kills against 14 errors in 106 chances.

Rockhurst scored the first two points of the contest before UMSL went on a 10-1 run turning the early deficit into a seven-point lead after a kill from Rang. That lead grew to as many as 11 later in the set after back-to-back kills from Rang and Hailey Flowers. The Hawks got to within 22-16 but no closer as the Tritons scored the final three points to take the opener 25-16.

UMSL hit .333 in the stanza with 15 kills against three errors in 36 chances and were led by Elliott with six kills. The Triton defense held Rockhurst to a .100 attack percentage in the frame.

The Hawks jumped out to another early lead in the middle set scoring three of the first four points but UMSL countered and held a 10-9 lead after a kill from Copeland. Rockhurst took its final lead of the frame after a kill from Sarah Pyle and a block by Tera Reberry. The Tritons ran off five straight points to retake the lead and wouldn’t let the Hawks get closer than three points the rest of the frame as it pulled away for a 25-18 victory.

UMSL hit nearly .400 in the frame with 17 kills against six errors in 28 attempts. Humm had six of those kills while Elliott, Copeland and Rang had three each.

The Tritons jumped out to an early three-point lead in the final stanza but the Hawks battled back tying it at seven after Sydney Raszler and Sydney McDonald teamed up to block Humm. UMSL took the lead for good scoring six of the next seven points to build a five-point lead and wouldn’t let Rockhurst get closer than two points the rest of the match as the Tritons pulled away for the 25-16 victory.

UMSL hit .340 for the match recording 47 kills against 12 errors in 103 chances.

The Tritons will wrap up a three-match homestand next Saturday, September 30, by hosting McKendree, in another GLVC contest at the Mark Twain Building. First serve that day is scheduled for 3 p.m.

2023 UMSL Tritons Women’s Volleyball Schedule

DateTimeAtOpponentLocation
September 30, 2023 (Saturday)3 p.m.HomeMcKendreeMark Twain Building
October 6, 2023 (Friday)5 p.m.AwayIndianapolisIndianapolis, Ind. / Ruth Lilly Fitness Center
October 7, 2023 (Saturday)3 p.m.AwayLewisRomeoville, Ill. / Neil Carey Arena
October 13, 2023 (Friday)TBANeutralMidwest Region CrossoverHammond, Ind. / Hammond Sportsplex
October 14, 2023 (Saturday)TBANeutralMidwest Region CrossoverHammond, Ind. / Hammond Sportsplex
October 20, 2023 (Friday)6 p.m.HomeMissouri S&TMark Twain Building
October 21, 2023 (Saturday)3 p.m.HomeMaryvilleMark Twain Building
October 27, 2023 (Friday)6 p.m.AwayUpper IowaFayette, Iowa / Dorman Memorial Gymnasium
October 28, 2023 (Saturday)3 p.m.AwayTruman StateKirksville, Mo. / Pershing Arena
November 3, 2023 (Friday)6 p.m.HomeIllinois SpringfieldMark Twain Building
November 4, 2023 (Saturday)3 p.m.HomeQuincyMark Twain Building
November 10, 2023 (Friday)6 p.m.AwayDrurySpringfield, Mo. / O’Reilly Family Events Center
November 11, 2023 (Saturday)1 p.m.AwaySouthwest BaptistBolivar, Mo. / John Q. Hammons Court
November 17-19, 2023TBANeutralGLVC TournamentWilliamsville, Ill./Williamsville High School Fieldhouse